Abbas: Stop settlers from running wild
Palestinian president meets with MK Tibi in Amman, says arson at West Bank mosque a 'despicable crime.' Abbas clarifies peace talks won't be resumed unless Israel freezes construction in east Jerusalem
Addressing the peace process, the Palestinian president clarified that the talks with Israel would not be resumed until the Jewish state freezes construction in all settlements, including east Jerusalem.
"He was very angry about the mosque and the harm caused to Palestinians in their olive groves, but also determined and firm in his stance in terms of the peace process," the MK told Ynet.
The Palestinian president expressed his anger over the incident in Yasuf by saying that Israel "must stop the settlers from running wild." He added that "this has been going on for a long time, and they must be stopped."
As for the peace process, Abbas said that "the ball is in the court of the Israeli government, which is making it difficult to resume the process. The construction in the settlements must be frozen, including in east Jerusalem. What has been done so far is not enough. The settlements are still being built and the Israeli government continues to support the settlers in every way possible."
Tibi addressed the remarks in a conversation with Ynet following the meeting. "My impression is that the Palestinian Authority chairman, who was always committed to the peace process, has encountered an Israeli refusal, which favors the settlements over peace.
"I understood from him that both the United States and Israel know what steps should be taken in order to resume the process. In the current situation, my estimate and impression following my conversation with him today is that the peace process will not be renewed until the construction in the settlements is really halted."
Abbas is expected to travel to Moscow in the coming weeks in a bid to gain the Russian leadership's support. The Palestinian president is holding constant talks with the Americans, Tibi said, "but unfortunately, it's not going anywhere because (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and the Israeli government are the ones thwarting the efforts."
Clashes broke out Friday in the village of Yasuf between Palestinians and Israel Defense Forces soldiers following the arson. Several worshippers began throwing stones at the forces after the Friday prater, lightly injuring a Border Guard fighter in the face.
The soldiers responded with live ammunition and tear gas. Five Palestinians were lightly wounded in the clashes.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the defense establishment to work to locate and arrest those behind the arson, and called for the justice to be served. The minister's office released a statement saying he considered the incident a very grave one. "This is an extreme act meant to harm any of the government's attempts to advance the process for Israel's future," the statement added.
Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni addressed the incident while addressing the Commercial and Industrial Club House in Herzliya. "A human rights march is taking place in Tel Aviv today, while in Samaria radical elements set fire to a mosque in a serious and despicable provocation," she said.
"I have no doubt that those who torched the mosque are extremists. We must capture them and judge them severely. If we fail to look inside and deal with what is happening within the Israeli society, we won't be able to reach solutions," the Opposition leader warned.
