Palestinians welcome the personal intervention of President Obama in Middle East peace talks

Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr Saeb Erakat, today said that President Abbas had accepted an invitation by President Obama to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly opening session next week, followed by a trilateral meeting involving President Obama, President Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Palestinians welcome the personal intervention of President Obama particularly in light of Israel’s continuing rejection of a comprehensive settlement freeze and a resumption of permanent status negotiations on all core issues without exception, despite Senator George Mitchell’s ongoing efforts,” Dr Erakat said.

“Palestinians continue to support the resumption of permanent status negotiations starting from where we left them at Annapolis, and dealing with all permanent status issues, namely Jerusalem, settlements, borders, water, refugees and security.”

“We remain committed to the two-state solution and the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, and we will continue to implement our Road Map obligations.”

Dr Erakat went on to say “For the last eight months, the clear message from the international community has been that both sides need to meet their obligations under existing agreements and international law in order to create the environment for meaningful negotiations to resume. Palestinians strongly support this position.”

“A responsible partner for peace adheres to commitments it has made in the name of peace. It does not try to haggle its way out of them. A settlement freeze, including all natural growth as well as a freeze on all settlement activity in occupied East Jerusalem, is an Israeli obligation under the 2003 Road Map. It is not a Palestinian precondition.”

“Palestinians remain hopeful that President Obama’s intervention will provide the motivation needed to bring Israel back to the negotiating table based on the implementation of a comprehensive settlement freeze, and convince Israel to accept the resumption of permanent status negotiations on all core issues without exception,” Dr Erakat concluded.