Abbas says he may renege on agreements with Israel
Palestinian president calls wave of terror attacks a 'peaceful popular awakening,' claiming it is a response to the 'actions of the occupation.'
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday evening that the Palestinians will not remain committed to agreements with Israel as long as the Israelis do not commit to them, according to Palestinian media.
Speaking at the 16th session of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, in remarks quoted by the Maan News Agency, Abbas said that the recent wave of terror attacks, which he dubbed a "peaceful popular awakening," came as a response to the "actions of the occupation," the violation of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and the lack of Israeli commitment to signed agreements.
The Palestinian president noted that the Palestinian leadership welcomes the French initiative to hold an international peace conference, at the end of which France will recognize the Palestinian states if no agreement can be reached between the warring sides.
He added that he hopes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will merit a mechanism, similar to mechanisms used to resolve other regional issues.
He said, however, that the Palestinians were still unwilling accept the Israeli government's demand to recognize Israel as a "Jewish state."
The aging Palestinian leader reiterated the Palestinians' plans to go to the UN Security Council to achieve a resolution to end settlement activity on all Palestinian lands. He emphasized that the international community, including the United States, considers settlement activity illegal.
Abbas also commented on the death of PFLP leader Omar Nayef at the PLO embassy in Bulgaria, saying an investigative committee has carried out its work and he will announce the results once they are available to the Palestinian leadership.
Finally, he said that preparations for the 7th Fatah General Congress, which has been postponed repeatedly, are ongoing. He added that the congress will focus on reviving Fatah during this difficult period.
