Abbas. 'Intifada destroyed us'
Photo: Reuters
Dispute in peace talks: Borders or security first?
Palestinian sources tell Ynet Israel trying to 'play for time until US elections,' admit will be forced to accept certain resumption of settlement construction
The direct negotiations have just been launched, and the parties are already in disagreement over the order of the talks: Palestinian sources told Ynet on Tuesday that Israel
was insisting on starting the negotiations with the security issue, while the Palestinian Authority wanted to begin with the border issue.
According to the Palestinians, the border issue will include the security matter in any event. Palestinian officials fear that Israel is attempting to play for time until the US Congress elections.
The negotiating teams are expected to meet in the coming days, and possibly as early as Tuesday, and to try to reach an agreement on the basic guidelines of the talks.
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"They understand that even without an official timetable, the international community and American administration are seeking an agreement within a year, and are therefore trying to play for time through general discussions, in a bid to avoid getting into details," one of the sources said.
One of the disputes revolves around the question whether the parties should reach an interim agreement or framework agreement within one year. On the settlement issue, the Palestinians have admitted that despite their firm stand against the West Bank construction, they would have to accept a certain resumption of the building.
Nonetheless, the Palestinians are waiting to observe Israel's actions after September 26 – when the settlement moratorium is scheduled to end – and are expecting a Central Command chief order on the matter.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday reiterated his threats to quit the negotiations.
"Any additional pressure on the Palestinians to make concessions on the borders, refugees and other permanent issues means that I will be packing my bags and leaving. I will not sign a single concession of Palestinian principles," he told a Kuwaiti newspaper.
Abbas said in the interview that at the time Ramallah had helped the talks between Jerusalem and Damascus. "We filled the role of mediator to launch Turkish-brokered negotiations between Israel and Syria," the Palestinian president said.
Teasing a number of Arab countries, he added that "those among the Arabs who wish to fight are invited to rise, but we won't have fighting take place through us."
He slammed the al-Aqsa Intifada, saying that "the 'blessed' intifada in the year 2000 destroyed us, destroyed everything we built and everything that we built before us."
Abbas also sent a clear message to his rival faction: "We won't leave the West Bank for Hamas just like we won't leave the Strip."
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