EU'S ASHTON WARNS ISRAEL OF REPERCUSSIONS OF SUSPENDING TALKS

Brussels, 29 Jumadil Akhir 1435/29 April 2014 (MINA) – The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton warned Israel of potential repercussions of suspending peace talks with the Palestinian Authority in the aftermath of the Fatah-Hamas agreement.

In a statement Sunday, Ashton expressed her deep concerns over the latest developments in peace talks between Israel and the PA, urging all sides to concentrate on peace negotiations, exercise utmost restraint and not to waste the efforts made in recent months, and to avoid any actions that would threaten the peace process.

Ashton welcomed the idea of holding genuine elections in Palestine, emphasizing the need for Mahmoud Abbas’s leadership of the peace negotiations with Israel, according to Middle East Monitor (MEMO) report quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

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“The EU expects any new government to uphold the principle of non-violence, to remain committed to achieving a two-state solution and to a negotiated peaceful settlement … including Israel’s legitimate right to exist,” Ashton said in the statement.

PLO agrees to conditional resumption of talks

The Palestinian Central Council (PCC) yesterday decided on the conditional resumption of peace talks with the Israeli occupation, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) withdrew and condemned the measure.

In a statement, the PCC said that it would work together with the international parties interested in the peace process in order to revive it on the bases of the UN resolutions.

To implement the UN resolution related to the peace process and stop Israel ignoring the international community, the PCC said it would organise its efforts with the UN Security Council.

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The PCC blamed Israel for the stalemate of the peace process and undermining international efforts to reach a political solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

According to the statement, the pre-conditions, which were laid out for the renewal of peace talks, are that Israel commits to the 1967 borders, UN resolutions, a complete freeze on settlement in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem and carrying out previous agreements.

The PFLP rejected the conditional resumption of peace talks, PFLP representative in the PCC Khalida Jarrar told a press conference after withdrawing from the meeting.

Jarrar said that insistence on the strategy of negotiations and preparing for conditional resumption means “continuation of the direct and absurd method of talks brokered by the American Administration.

“Based on our call for a complete halt of the negotiations and security cooperation, we announce our withdrawal from this meeting in order not to save a political cover-up for the renewal of talks,” Jarrar said.

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Meanwhile, the PCC denounced the Israeli threats and the “rage campaign” launched by the Israeli government against the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas.

The PCC statement said that this reflects the Israeli desire to “abort” the efforts for the liberation of Palestine and building the Palestinian state through the international division.

In addition, they noted their surprised at the American position which opposed the reconciliation. The PCC called for reactivating the Arabic financial and political network to enable the Palestinian Authority to face the Israeli sanctions and support the reconciliation. (T/P012/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)