Report: Abbas may forgo right of return
Abbas has began discussing 'painful concessions' ahead of Cairo talks with faction leaders, Saudi newspaper reports; Abbas may propose to seek right of return for interested individuals only
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has began discussing “painful concessions,” ahead of his meeting with Palestinian faction heads in Cairo, the London-based Saudi Asharq Al-Sawat newspaper reported Monday.
Abbas is expected to arrive in Cairo Tuesday for talks with the various faction leaders in a bid to reach a cease-fire agreement with them.
He is expected to touch on highly sensitive issues
within the designated three-day talks.
Abbas “would be very firm in his talks with the Palestinian factions, and would present the issue of the right of return in a realistic manner,” he said.
According to the report, Abbas plans to explain to faction heads that the right of return cannot be implemented collectively for all refugees.
He is expected instead to seek the right of return for interested individuals only, or alternately to compensate refugees.
The report says Abbas believes talks should focus on the main issues such as Jerusalem, release of prisoners and settlements.
'Abbas does not intend to relinquish full right of return'
A source close to Abbas told Ynet the Palestinian leader believes the peace process should not be held hostage by the refugee issue.
He said, it is a highly complex matter and must
be left to the last phases of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
The source added it is not clear whether the refugee question would in fact be brought up at the Cairo talks, but that in any event, Abbas does not intend to propose relinquishing the right of return in full, the newspaper reported.
Abbas’ stance, said a close source, is that while parties are still not engaged in talks on a final status agreement, everything must be done to attain maximum political achievements and control over Palestinian land.
Talks on principle matters such as refugees, Jerusalem, water and borders should be postponed to a later date, he said.
'No doubt the cease-fire will hold up'
The newspaper also reported Palestinian sources said Abbas wished to skip the first and second phases of the Oslo Accords and wanted to go straight onto the third and fourth phases.
This would allow Abbas to obtain a commitment from the Palestinian factions to maintain overall calm for a period of one year “even in the event of Israeli violations,” the report said.
Abbas told Channel One Television Sunday all factions would announce a cease-fire in the coming week.
“Just a while ago we announced a calm and now god-willing, we’ll travel to Cairo to reach a hudna (cease-fire) to be announced by all Palestinian factions, to give the peace process an opportunity,” he said.
He said he had not yet determined a time frame for the announcement and that it is better not to do so.
"God willing if all goes as planned there is no doubt the hudna would hold up,” he said.
Senior Islamic Jihad members complained Sunday that Israel is preventing them from traveling to Cairo to participate in the talks.
The IDF reported it decided not to permit Islmic Jihad members to travel to Cairo in wake of their responsibility in the Tel Aviv suicide bombing last month.
And what about the transfer of Security control in the West Bank?
Israel and the Palestinian Authority will once again try to settle the issue of the handover of the West Bank cities, Tul Karm and Jericho, to Palestinian security control .
The talks were stalled last week over disagreement on the removal of checkpoints.
Israel had said the Palestinian request to remove roadblocks was not feasible due to security concerns.
