Erekat: Israel Should Not Be Given Chance to Sabotage Peace Initiatives

Ramallah, 09 Safar 1438/09 November 2016 (MINA) – Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said Tuesday that Israel should not be given the chance to sabotage the French peace initiative.

He described in a statement the meeting between France’s special envoy Pierre Vimont and President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Monday night as positive, WAFA reported.

“It was a positive visit, with a sincere and positive exchange of ideas around the goal to fully end the Israeli occupation and preserve and push forward the two-state solution on the 1967 border,” Erekat said about the meeting.

“We have encouraged France to go ahead with its initiative and supported its efforts to have a conference before the end of the year,” he said. “Palestine will continue to engage with its various partners in order to move towards that end.”

Erekat stressed that Israel should not be given the chance to sabotage the French peace initiative.

“Israel should not be given the chance to sabotage such an international initiative,” he said.

Israel has officially expressed opposition to the conference and said it will not attend it.

“Israel is a state that does not only refuse to attend international conferences, but refuses to recognize Palestine, to implement signed agreements, UN resolutions or simply to abide by its obligations under international law,” said Erekat. “Israel wants only to maintain the status quo and to continue with its settlement policies and land grab.”

Next year will mark 50 years of the Israeli occupation, he said. The world should not allow Israel to continue vetoing the inalienable right of Palestine to be free, Erekat concluded his statement. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)