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Last update - 12:28 29/05/2009
Palestinian negotiator: We are encouraged by Obama-Abbas meet
By DPA
Tags: abbas, obama, israel news 

The Palestinians' top negotiator on Friday said he was "encouraged" following President Mahmoud Abbas' White House meeting on Thursday with U.S. President Barack Obama.

"Palestinians are encouraged by the commitment President Obama and his administration have shown to Middle East peace," Saeb Erakat said in a statement early Friday.

In his meeting with Abbas Thursday, Obama had called for a complete freeze of Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank. Obama also said he shared Abbas' feelings that "time was of the essence" and pledged to do "everything I can" to "jump-start" the peace process with Israel.
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"Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is central to regional stability and peace," Erekat said.

"The establishment of a viable Palestinian state, living side by side in peace and security with Israel, and a just resolution to the Palestinian refugee issue in accordance with UN Resolution 194, will create a more secure and stable Middle East," Erekat added.

The Middle East peace process, he warned, would not survive another round of failed negotiations.

"The peace process lives on borrowed time," warned the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) negotiations department, who is also a top official in Abbas' Fatah party.

"Israel's failure to implement its obligations under existing agreements has eroded its credibility, while Israel's continued settlement activities are undermining the very viability of the two-state solution," Erakat said.

Israel has refused the U.S. and Palestinian demand for a complete freeze in settlement activity, pledging not to build new settlements but vowing to continue construction in existing ones to accommodate for "natural growth."

The Netanyahu government has also adopted a policy according to which the Iranian nuclear threat should be given more urgency than the Palestinian issue, while the Obama administration has adopted an opposing view, arguing that progress in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations would help build a moderate Arab coalition against Iran.

Related articles:
  • Obama: We must get Israel-Palestinian peace moves 'back on track'
  • Israel rebuffs U.S. call for total settlement freeze
  • Poll: Most Palestinians think Hamas-Fatah unity would help peace efforts
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      1.   DON`T SAY A THING, IT WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU 12:40  |  indrajaya 29/05/09
      2.   Superb article, tells the Israeli-Palestinian conflict like it is 12:48  |  Ivar 29/05/09
      3.   Encouragement sounds positve..Is it.? 12:53  |  Stephen. 29/05/09
      4.   NICE SPIN, SAEB, BUT... 12:57  |  steve 29/05/09
      5.   Iran is not going to stop anything! 13:53  |  David 29/05/09
      6.   Who do we make peace with? 14:42  |  Michael 29/05/09
      7.   #6 Michael - You make peace treaty with Abbas, in 15:09  |  Diane 29/05/09
      8.   #4 Nice spin, steve. 16:02  |  Johnboy 29/05/09
      9.   Diane, sounds like nice civics lesson 17:27  |  Jasper 29/05/09
      10.   Saeb Erekat thinks Obama will hand it to them 18:59  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 29/05/09
      11.   Liberalism and the PLO 19:42  |  B 29/05/09
      12.   Stephen - "total freezing of childbirth"??!! 19:59  |  Don Boston 29/05/09
      13.   Steve # about that river, America does not owe Israel anything 21:56  |  American in NY 29/05/09
      14.   B # 10 the truth about your argument 22:00  |  American in NY 29/05/09
      15.   Abbas is about a relevant as Obama 22:05  |  Voice of Reason 29/05/09
      16.   Lesson they learn? 23:18  |  Brod 29/05/09
      17.   #11 American in NY 00:16  |  H 30/05/09
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