Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas vowed on Friday to pursue peace efforts with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's successor but warned of a new cycle of violence if the peace process collapsed. Abbas painted a cautious and at times bleak outlook for Middle East peace efforts during a visit to the United Nations, where he also held closed-door talks with Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Speaking later before the Security Council, Abbas and other Arab leaders denounced Israeli settlement expansion, saying it was seriously jeopardizing peace talks. "Settlement activity is not only an obstacle but it risks undermining the peace process," Abbas said, according to Reuters.
"I will pursue negotiations with Mr. Olmert and I will never cease to negotiate even with his successor," Abbas said. "We don't wish to waste the opportunities that are available."
But Abbas said that unless Israel stops expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, "It would be futile to dream of the peace that we all hope for. Because if we fail, if we do not attain peace, then the alternative poses a serious threat. And everyone knows what the alternative is.
"The alternative will plunge the entire region into the deadly cycle of violence once again. I don't even wish to imagine what that might lead us to," he added.
