KERRY: THE ISRAELI ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW SETTLEMENTS “TO SOME EXTENT EXPECTED”
Washington, 7 Syawal 1434/14 August 2013 (MINA) – US Secretary of State, John Kerry, said that the Israeli announcement of new bids to build 1000 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem was “to some extent, expected.”
He ruled out that this could be considered an obstacle to the resumption of peace talks between the Palestinian negotiators and Israelis. Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Wednesday
Kerry called for both sides to stop taking provocative measures and to get to the table soon. “It underscores the importance of getting to the table, getting to the table quickly,” he said during a visit to Colombia last night.
Kerry reiterated that the US view Israeli settlements to be “illegitimate”. He said that he had phoned Israeli Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and had discussed the issue with them.
In addition to the 1200 new settlements it announced early this week, the Israeli government announced the building of some 1000 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
Hamas describes resumption of peace talks as ‘absurd’
In a press conference in Gaza, Al-Zahar said, “We renew our opposition to the absurd negotiations and we consider it no more than an attempt to beautify Israel and its image before the international community”.
He criticised the step, which he considered to be a substitute for a lawsuit against Israel before the international courts for war crimes.
Al-Zahar added, “Abu Mazen (the president of the Palestinian Authority) and his negotiating team have no authority or legitimacy and cannot give away any centimetre of the Palestinians soil or any of their rights; full land, full state and a right to return.”
He hailed the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, but said, “We insist that the right way to free prisoners is based on sacrifices not on concessions of Palestinian principles, rights and dignity.”
He called on Arab and Islamic countries to withdraw the belief they have in the peace negotiation process and also called for all Palestinians, everywhere, to take to the streets in order to oppose, what he called a “concession of the blood of martyrs.”
The upcoming round of peace talks between Israeli and the Palestinian negotiators is planned to take place tomorrow.
The Israelis, meanwhile, have announced bids to build over than 2000 new Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, but Palestinian negotiators remain optimistic about the resumption of the peace discussions.
The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, who has been involved in a marathon effort to revive the peace talks, said that announcement of more bids for new settlements was expected. (T/P012/E1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
