Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Photo: Reuters
Meretz Chairman Yossi Beilin
Photo: Eli Elgarat
Abbas: Pleased that Israelis prefer negotiations
In meeting with Meretz Chairman Yossi Beilin, Palestinian president calls on Israeli government to renew peace talks, says he is doing his maximum to bring to Gilad Shalit's release
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he is encouraged by recent polls indicating that the Israeli public prefers negotiations on a resolution to the regional conflict to unilateral moves.
Abbas met with Meretz Chairman Yossi Beilin at the Allenby border crossing between Israel and Jordan. The PA president was on his way back from Amman, where he attended a Fatah Executive Committee convention, during which it was decided to promote the formation of a Palestinian unity government. The meeting was Abbas' first with an Israeli official since the clash in Gaza erupted.
In the meeting, Abbas called on the Israeli government to renew the negotiations for a permanent peace settlement.
Beilin proposes second Madrid Conference
Beilin, on his part, reiterated Israel's demand for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Abbas told Beilin that he was doing everything within his power to bring to Shalit's release and expressed his regret over the efforts' failure thus far.Beilin proposed that a second Madrid conference be convened, based on the outline of the 1991 conference. Abbas noted that the possibility has already been discussed in conversations between Arab foreign ministers and himself.
The Fatah Executive Committee on Friday gave Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a mandate to hold negotiations on behalf of the movement in a bid to form a national unity government.
Fatah member Hani al-Hassan said that Abbas was asked to launch negotiations with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and all the factions in order to form the unity government.
Hassan added that the disagreements between Fatah and Hamas were resolved and that the unity government was a rescue government for all the Palestinians.
