Dr Erakat’s response to statements by President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu following their meeting at the White House today

Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr Saeb Erakat today welcomed US President Obama’s unequivocal support for the establishment as an independent Palestinian state and his call for Israel to abide by its Road Map obligations, including a freeze on all Israeli settlement activity.

“Palestinians welcome the active reengagement of the United States in the Middle East peace process, and President Obama’s support for a wide ranging regional peace. The President gave voice to today’s international consensus in support of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state,” Dr Erakat said.

“Moving the Middle East peace process forward hinges on Israel implementing its obligations under existing agreements. Only a reversal in Israel’s policies on the ground can restore credibility to the peace process.”

“This includes an immediate and complete freeze on all settlement activity, including all natural growth, lifting all restrictions on Palestinian movement, and an immediate end to Israel’s siege on Gaza.”

On Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for negotiations despite his refusal to recognize the two-state solution, Dr Erakat said:
“By failing to endorse the two-state solution, Benjamin Netanyahu missed yet another opportunity to show himself to be a genuine partner for peace. Calling for negotiations without a clearly defined end-goal, offers only the promise of more process, not progress.”

In response to Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand that Palestinians first recognize Israel as a Jewish state as a precondition for negotiations, Dr Erakat added:
“The PLO has already recognized the state of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu cannot even bring himself to endorse the idea of, let alone recognize, a Palestinian state. Adding new conditions to negotiations serves no other purpose than to save the Netanyahu government from having to deal with the real issues, namely Israel’s refusal to end its occupation, to abide by its obligations under existing agreements, and to unequivocally endorse the two-state solution.”