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| By israelinsider staff June 5, 2007 |
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Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that he will push for peace talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in their next meeting, expected to be Thursday.
"I will reaffirm the necessity to start negotiations so we are not stuck in a relentless cycle of violence," stated Abbas in a televised speech commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Six Day War.
Olmert and Abbas have met several times in Jerusalem, but their upcoming meeting is expected to be held in the West Bank, possibly Jericho.
Abbas said in his speech that he would push to subjects of expanding settlements and the security barrier which cuts into West Bank land.
"If the Israelis want to minimalize the agenda, it is my duty as the elected president of the Palestinian people to put every single issue vigorously on the table," Abbas said.
Peace talks broke down in 2001, at the beginning of the second intifiada. Israel claims it will not negotiate with the PA until Hamas recognizes Israel and denounces violence. Palestinians have said that Israel is just using this as an excuse not to enter into serious talks.
Abbas also expressed his concerns over the continually declining security situation in Gaza, saying that the PA was on the verge of civil war.
"Regarding our internal situation, what concerns us all is the chaos, and more specifically, being on the verge of civil war," Abbas said.
In his speech Abbas referred to the Israeli capture of the West Bank and Gaza during the Six Day War as a "black day" for the Palestinians, saying that infighting was worse than living under Israeli occupation.
"What is equal to or even worse than occupation is internal fighting," he said
Abbas criticized continued Palestinian acts against Israel, saying that the capture of Israeli soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit and the repeated Qassam-fire at Israel only lead the country to retaliate, leaving hundreds of Palestinians dead.
Hamas and Fatah have signed and broken five ceasefires in the latest escalation of violence which most recently culminated in a gunbattle Tuesday between the two groups near Karni Crossing in the Gaza Strip. A security guard for Abbas and many Hamas were wounded. |
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