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Last update - 14:24 11/04/2009
PA: Either Israel declares it backs Palestinian state, or no talks
By News Agencies
Tags: Mahmoud Abbas, Israel News 

The chief Palestinian negotiator says that Israel must declare its support for a two-state solution for peace talks to resume.

Saeb Erekat says the international community must pressure Israel to abide by its previous commitments to a two-state solution, halt settlement activity and recognize past agreements signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The newly formed right-wing Israeli government has so far sent mixed messages about how far it will commit to previous agreements and the two-state solution.
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Erekat told The Associated Press on Saturday that just as the international community boycotts militant group Hamas, because it doesn't recognize Israel, pressure must be put on the Jewish state to abide by its own commitments.


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has made peace talks with Israel's new government conditional on it committing to previous agreements and freezing Jewish settlement growth, aides said on Friday.

Erekat said Abbas conveyed this message directly to the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators - the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations.

"It was conveyed to the Quartet that Israel must accept the two-state solution and agreements signed, including Annapolis, and freeze settlement activities, in order to have political negotiations. You cannot have political negotiations without that," Erekat said.

If Israel made such a commitment, Erekat added, Abbas would agree to resume the negotiations immediately.

Western diplomats said that seemed unlikely, at least for the time being.

Israel's new foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has declared as invalid the statehood talks launched at a U.S.-sponsored conference in Annapolis, Maryland in November 2007. He says peace efforts with the Palestinians have reached a "dead end" and that Israel should focus on other matters.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been more vague, saying his priority was to focus on economic and security issues instead of negotiating statehood borders, and the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

That could put Netanyahu on a collision course with the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, who called this week for a Palestinian state alongside Israel as outlined in Annapolis, and said both sides needed to make compromises.

Netanyahu and Lieberman also support settlement growth despite U.S. calls for a freeze.

The Quartet's special envoy, former British prime minister Tony Blair, has urged Netanyahu to resume statehood talks in parallel with a push to boost the West Bank economy and to let Palestinians control more of their territory. Abbas's Western-backed government is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Blair also urged Netanyahu to ease Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which Hamas Islamists seized in June 2007 after routing forces loyal to Abbas's secular Fatah faction.

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      1.   Does Hamas agree to the Annapolis agreements - of course not! 14:59  |  redbourn 10/04/09
      2.   As long as it costs Israel nothing to ignore America 14:59  |  Natallie Durson 10/04/09
      3.   Israel must 15:13  |  Frank Mazuca 10/04/09
      4.   Abbas, the Fatah`s Chairman, should denounce his own Charter that 15:30  |  Hezi 10/04/09
      5.   Learning from the Palestinians 16:03  |  Ilan 10/04/09
      6.   ignoring the Elephant in the Room 16:28  |  idf_sergeant 10/04/09
      7.   WHAT ??? 16:28  |  Sam Soul 10/04/09
      8.   how to fail whilst really trying by abbas who cant read his deal 16:39  |  v hardman 10/04/09
      9.   And does Israel recognize Palestine ? 16:42  |  Sam Soul 10/04/09
      10.   Do Israeli agreements mean anything? 17:01  |  Dave Duncan 10/04/09
      11.   Both sides need to commit and submit 17:04  |  Sanity 10/04/09
      12.   Recognize Israel? What are the borders? 17:10  |  Lou Medel 10/04/09
      13.   Its about Pals people not Hamas 17:17  |  Bm 10/04/09
      14.   If Israel agrees to all this, what is left to negotiate 17:17  |  Yaakov Ish Tam 10/04/09
      15.   Did the Palestinians ever said anything admitting any mistake 17:24  |  Akram Zekaria 10/04/09
      16.   Abbas: Israel must commit to previous deals 17:25  |  Joshua 10/04/09
      17.   `What "gifts" do we get in return` # 12 17:26  |  Sam Soul 10/04/09
      18.   Its Always Amazing Everyone Wants Israel to Honor The Deals 17:41  |  Shepherd 10/04/09
      19.   World is getting tired with West Bank and Gaza Arabs. 17:52  |  17 10/04/09
      20.   NO previous deals 18:18  |  Brod 10/04/09
      21.   How about PA? 18:58  |  Gene 10/04/09
      22.   # 12 Lou Medel "How can Israel expect to be recognized if it 19:45  |  17 10/04/09
      23.   Abbas making the agenda ! 19:48  |  Akram Zekaria 10/04/09
      24.   How did talks in Annapolis refere to quartet road map sequence,or 20:03  |  Sarah 10/04/09
      25.   Israel "Must" Do This Or That, Abbas? 20:44  |  Jeff Northridge 10/04/09
      26.   Everyone knows their borders but Israel 17... 20:47  |  BBSNews 10/04/09
      27.   PLO charter was never changed all agreements are invalid 20:52  |  Baruch Gold 10/04/09
      28.   Wow - Brod Takes Hamas Line 21:05  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/04/09
      29.   what is the hurry? 21:20  |  Mike 10/04/09
      30.   Joshua#16 The U.S. is guilty of not acknowledging 22:07  |  Sarah 10/04/09
      31.   Best Enemy is One That Destroys Itself! 22:34  |  Alex 10/04/09
      32.   Fatah refuses to recognize Israel 00:35  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      33.   # 26 BBSnews - Borders: 01:03  |  17 11/04/09
      34.   What to do? 01:27  |  WHG 11/04/09
      35.   why does israel continue settlements 04:20  |  arnold 11/04/09
      36.   sarah,,,,pigs will probally be able to fly before the pals form a 04:41  |  fairy tale 11/04/09
      37.   why doesn`t Abbas meet his obligations 07:00  |  Shimshon 11/04/09
      38.   State of Judea....out for a start! 07:33  |  Palestinian Brit 11/04/09
      39.   Arnold 08:02  |  TEI 11/04/09
      40.   37 Shimshon - Bush set him up to Fail in Gaza 09:07  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/04/09
      41.   Good faith requires freezing settlements -- at minimum! 10:15  |  Hanna 11/04/09
      42.   Abbas, you are not in a position to make ultimatums 11:39  |  Nour 11/04/09
      43.   #25 Hey Northridge, Status Quo fine by us too 11:47  |  Nour 11/04/09
      44.   Isn`t it time to get real? 12:28  |  Rod 11/04/09
      45.   Good move from Abbas (for a change) 14:17  |  Natallie Durson 11/04/09
      46.   PA?s ?recognition? only to receive international aid 14:48  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      47.   PA?s ?recognition? only to receive international aid 14:49  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      48.   NO to talking 15:07  |  Brod 11/04/09
      49.   THE FGovt of Palestine does not back a 2 state solution. 15:11  |  PETER SM 11/04/09
      50.   There is Palestinian state in Gaza - which does not want to live 15:13  |  17 11/04/09
      51.   question: do the palestinians back an israeli-jewish state? 15:46  |  scallywag 11/04/09
      52.   sam soul - which "palestine"? can you define it? 15:48  |  scallywag 11/04/09
      53.   Nour # 42 You Like The Status Quo Do You? 16:14  |  Jeff Northridge 11/04/09
      54.   Israel must return 16:41  |  Daniel 11/04/09
      55.   WHG 16:51  |  Daniel 11/04/09
      56.   There`s no contest 17... 16:54  |  BBSNews 11/04/09
      57.   MEDEL Hamas recognises no borders,Arabs insisted on no recognised 16:57  |  PETER SM 11/04/09
      58.   csallywag---no they back an Israel that is democratic. 17:20  |  La Figaro 11/04/09
      59.   Stop aid to Palestinians = peace 17:35  |  Great White North 11/04/09
      60.   Daniel #54 17:36  |  George Kaplan 11/04/09
      61.   59 Great White North - Damaging Israel, not Palestine 17:58  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/04/09
      62.   The Land of Israel is ours by Historical and Moral right. 18:09  |  Jean Van Daem 11/04/09
      63.   PA continues to glorify murderers 18:16  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      64.   Nour,your posting from florida but claim your in palestine 18:20  |  what BS 11/04/09
      65.   Sam Soul soapboxing 18:35  |  x-ray 11/04/09
      66.   Dave Duncan and the elephant blocking the entrance 18:41  |  x-ray 11/04/09
      67.   PA violates Roadmap 18:42  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      68.   `sanity` 18:46  |  x-ray 11/04/09
      69.   Abbas violation of Roadmap through terror 18:49  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      70.   PA TV Celebrates Most Murderous Terror Attack 19:00  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      71.   X-Ray: The gift of Gaza 20:16  |  WHG 11/04/09
      72.   To Xray 20:18  |  Sam Soul 11/04/09
      73.   PA must comply to Oslo first 20:25  |  Frank 11/04/09
      74.   @63 one mans terrorist... 20:47  |  had enough 11/04/09
      75.   # 56 BBSnews: Please write to Santa Klaus or come to Macy`s to 20:50  |  17 11/04/09
      76.   Sam Soul 20:54  |  x-ray 11/04/09
      77.   Daniel@54 20:55  |  had enough 11/04/09
      78.   la figaro - 3. try 21:18  |  scallywag 11/04/09
      79.   77@had enough 22:13  |  Eylo 11/04/09
      80.   what if we dont declare we back a palestinian state? 22:27  |  zionist forever 11/04/09
      81.   WHG 22:52  |  x-ray 11/04/09
      82.   # 59 Great White North~ 23:34  |  Peter Beck 11/04/09
      83.   # 78 scallywag 23:37  |  Axel 11/04/09
      84.   Two sided recognition 23:38  |  Jackie 11/04/09
      85.   No "wish" 17, it`s reality... 23:49  |  BBSNews 11/04/09
      86.   Erekat is a joke 00:09  |  Mark 12/04/09
      87.   Bet Abbas and friends wish they made deal with Olmert 00:45  |  Shepherd 12/04/09
      88.   two states 02:11  |  Ze 12/04/09
      89.   Either Arabs recognize Israel or no talks. Swallow THAT. 02:12  |  Pioneer 12/04/09
      90.   Amazed 04:58  |  BazMann 12/04/09
      91.   PALBRIT 4-6 million Arabs yours for a start.You want to occupy 06:41  |  PETER SM 12/04/09
      92.   Talks Don`t Matter 12:58  |  MB 12/04/09
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