Published yesterday (updated) 18/09/2010 14:31

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) --

 Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Thursday decided to reject a demand made by Israel, asking Palestinian negotiators recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the Arab League supported President Mahmoud Abbas' refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Palestinian negotiators have recognized Israel’s right to exist, but not as a Jewish state, which officials say would prejudice the right of return for refugees and violate the rights of Israel's non-Jewish residents.

Following the meeting of the Arab League, Secretary General Amr Moussa said Israeli-Palestinian peace talks could not continue if Israel did not stop building settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Palestinian negotiators have said they would walk out of talks if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not extend a ban restricting settlement construction, due to expire later at the end of September.

Sha'ath: 30 September will be decisive

Published today (updated) 18/09/2010 11:46

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) --

Negotiations team member Nabil Sha'ath said Friday night that the last day of September would be the turning point for fledgling peace talks.

While officials have disputed the actual end of the settlement construction moratorium - some saying 26 September and other saying 30 - Sha'ath pegged the end of the month as the final date for negotiators to determine whether or not they would walk away from the process.

"Direct talks will not continue if settlements are built, its not a difficult decision," he said explaining that the settlement project aimed at taking over Palestinian land and replacing residents with settlers.

Speaking at a lecture organized by the Latin Church of the Holy Family in Ramallah, Sha'ath said talks would continue as long as the settlement freeze did.

"A Palestinain state will come by negotiations or by armed resistance," the official said, adding that the current peace talk team was committed to the political process, and had already discussed some of the core issues of an eventual state with Israel.

"What is important is not talk, but actions on the ground," the official continued, adding that Palestinians would not recognize Israel as a Jewish state, and thereby undermine the rights of all of its non-Jewish residents.

The event, which focused on Christian Affairs and Peace Talks, was also attended by Father Manuel Musallam patron of the Church of the Holy Family and Doctor Faisal Hijazin.

Zahhar: Fatah not aware of the gravity of its settlement talks with Israel

[ 18/09/2010 - 10:28 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Member of Hamas's political bureau Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said that Fatah faction and its Arab allies do not realize the seriousness of the settlement process to very sensitive issues in the conflict with the Israeli occupation such as the holy city, water, security and the geographical connection between West Bank lands.

In a statement to France channel on Friday, Dr. Zahhar stated that Israel clearly wants to devour and Judaize as much of the Palestinian land as it could in order to impose a fait accompli in case any settlement agreement was reached with the Palestinians in the future.

The Hamas official also highlighted that the security cooperation between Fatah and Salam Fayyad on one side and the Israeli occupation state on the other side led to the killing and kidnapping of many Palestinian resistance fighters, officials, and members of Palestinian factions.

He noted that such security collaboration took place in the past in the Gaza Strip and made Fatah appear as a traitor and thus lose the last legislative elections.

The official stressed the importance of resisting the occupation when he was asked about what could be done after the constant talks between the Palestinians and Israel proved failure many times before, saying that the solution is to do what the French people did when their land was occupied by the Nazis and what other occupied peoples did and do for their freedom.

In another context, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that the talks about the Israeli decision to let Fatah's authority to take over Karm Abu Salem crossing is another step to tighten the blockade on Gaza, warning this step would weaken the international solidarity with Gaza. 

Spokesman Barhoum added that this step reflects the strong relationship between Fatah's authority and Israel and reveals Israeli plans to enable Fatah to control Gaza once again.