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Last update - 18:41 04/11/2009
Erekat: Palestinians may have to abandon goal of independent state
By Reuters
Tags: Middle East peace 

Palestinians may have to abandon the goal of an independent state if Israel continues to expand settlements and the United States does not stop it, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Wednesday.

It may be time for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to "tell his people the truth, that with the continuation of settlement activities, the two-state solution is no longer an option," Erekat told a news conference.

Citing the 2003 peace Road Map, Abbas has made a cessation of Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank a precondition for resuming statehood talks with Israel.
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The road map also required that Palestinians dismantle armed groups like Islamist Hamas, which opposes peace talks. That did not happen, and Hamas now controls the Gaza Strip - half the Palestinian polity - in a running challenge to Abbas' mandate.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who met Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Saturday, unsuccessfully urged Abbas to negotiate with Israel and resolve the settlement issue within the framework of the talks.

Erekat said Clinton - who praised as unprecedented Netanyahu's offer to temporarily limit construction in West Bank settlements to 3,000 additional housing units - was only opening the door to more settlements in the next two years.

The alternative left for Palestinians is to "refocus their attention on the one-state solution where Muslims, Christians and Jews can live as equals," Erekat said. "It is very serious. This is the moment of truth for us."

Erekat said Netanyahu's concept of a separate Palestinian state alongside Israel with limited powers of sovereignty and his uncompromising position on the future of Jerusalem were tantamount to dictating the terms of peace negotiations.

Netanyahu, Erekat said, told Abbas "that Jerusalem will be the eternal and united capital of Israel, that refugees won't be discussed, that our state will be demilitarized, that we have to recognize the Jewish state, that it's not going to be the 1967 borders, that the skies will be under his control."

"This is dictation and not negotiations," he said.

Netanyahu and Abbas last met in New York in September in a handshake meeting arranged by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Palestinians seek to establish their future state on all of the West Bank and Gaza, lands captured by Israel from Jordan and Egypt in a 1967 war, with East Jerusalem as its capital. "Anything short of that is a non-option for us," Erekat said.

"If the Israelis believe they want to partition the West Bank with us, this is a no-go. This is a non-starter," Erekat said, in reference to Israeli control of West Bank settlements, adjacent land, and the territory's eastern Jordan Valley border.

Clinton reaffirmed in Cairo on Wednesday that Washington does not accept the legitimacy of the Israeli settlements.

But she added, in another nudge to Palestinians to talk with Israel: "Getting into final status negotiations will allow us to bring an end to settlement activity."

Erekat said Palestinians "made a mistake" in the past by agreeing to negotiate with Israel without insisting on a settlement halt, and they were not about to repeat that error.

In a statement, Netanyahu said Israel's aim remained the quick resumption of peace talks. But he also deplored the split between Hamas and Abbas' secular Fatah faction, which has widened over the president's disputed call for a Jan. 24 ballot.

"The possibility that Palestinian election might be held soon is causing a polarization of Palestinian Authority positions regarding Israel and is hindering the opening of negotiations," Netanyahu's office quoted him as saying.

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      1.   If they were intersted, they could have done it 61 yrs ago 18:48  |  bob 04/11/09
      2.   No Real Basis for a Pal State 18:53  |  Ron 04/11/09
      3.   Erekat, you finally got it. 18:53  |  Dwido 04/11/09
      4.   the only way now 18:54  |  michael 04/11/09
      5.   Bravo Israel !! 18:58  |  Sam Soul 04/11/09
      6.   A One State solution 19:01  |  Chris Linthwaite 04/11/09
      7.   The One State Solution 19:03  |  Avi Yerushalmi 04/11/09
      8.   Erakat and his people 19:05  |  Jane 04/11/09
      9.   "... abandon goal of independent state" - they never 19:05  |  17 04/11/09
      10.   Build Jordan into Palestine 19:07  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 04/11/09
      11.   no oneon arab side to negotiate with 19:08  |  bernard ross 04/11/09
      12.   One or two state solution? 19:09  |  MMKL 04/11/09
      13.   Road map never got off the ground 19:15  |  Baruch Gold 04/11/09
      14.   It looks like the only remaining option. 19:16  |  Bandar Michaels 04/11/09
      15.   agree-abandon 2 state solution 19:17  |  ej 04/11/09
      16.   Situation Serious 19:18  |  John Q. Public 04/11/09
      17.   WB Arabs face only 2 options: (a) Hamas rule, (b) Jordanian rule 19:20  |  G Marcus 04/11/09
      18.   It would be wise to do so 19:21  |  julie 04/11/09
      19.   DOES ANYONE REALLY BELIEVE TALKS WOULD BRING PEACE? 19:21  |  Jason 04/11/09
      20.   Demographics Will Prevail 19:28  |  Vladek 04/11/09
      21.   muslim intolerance precludes one state 19:29  |  bernard ross 04/11/09
      22.   I`m Afraid There Is No Alternative 19:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 04/11/09
      23.   Steal-A-State called Stealestine. 19:34  |  dav zee 04/11/09
      24.   Oren was right 19:43  |  Jordan 04/11/09
      25.   one state solution 19:46  |  sam 04/11/09
      26.   How much is PA willing to spend to buy a state from Israel? 19:57  |  Jewish DOCTOR 04/11/09
      27.   Chaim - you are ignorant 20:03  |  Apa 04/11/09
      28.   The winner dictates the peace terms. 20:05  |  Andrei 04/11/09
      29.   Oh Abbas Just Throw Up Your Hands Again 20:07  |  Dallas 04/11/09
      30.   Iran is winning - now watch Saudi & Jordan raise voices 20:09  |  David Moshkovitch 04/11/09
      31.   one state solution 20:17  |  Markos Souza 04/11/09
      32.   Settlements are not only "illegitimate", but flagrantly illegal 20:25  |  peacelover 04/11/09
      33.   goal 20:31  |  Shmuelshachor 04/11/09
      34.   #32 Peacelover It`s All So Simple Isn`t It? 20:41  |  Dallas 04/11/09
      35.   so Lieberman was right? 20:44  |  ben 04/11/09
      36.   Do the Palestinians really have to save "Jewish Israel"...??? 20:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/11/09
      37.   peacelover`s "flagrancy." 20:52  |  SDHD 04/11/09
      38.   Jordan Option 20:53  |  Juge 04/11/09
      39.   No israel, no Palestine ! 20:57  |  Tony Silver 04/11/09
      40.   Bob and 61 years ago 21:13  |  ELIAS KHOURY 04/11/09
      41.   Bravo Erekat! 21:31  |  Mike 04/11/09
      42.   palestine 21:53  |  rob 04/11/09
      43.   No use wasting time 21:55  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/09
      44.   Enough of this state terrorism & control from Israeli officials 21:56  |  Dutch 04/11/09
      45.   Swiss (Dino) - HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA... 21:56  |  Ben 04/11/09
      46.   peacelover - Blah..Blah... Palestinians are the ones 21:58  |  Ben 04/11/09
      47.   Markos Souza - the OTHER one state solution 22:00  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/09
      48.   Already 2 states, Israel and Jordan Palestine 22:05  |  David 04/11/09
      49.   If you take only the talk-backs... 22:06  |  HPL 04/11/09
      50.   Dallas, it`s a one state solution! Yay for Apartheid! 22:08  |  BBSNews 04/11/09
      51.   OneState solution 22:09  |  Mike 04/11/09
      52.   Erakat finally seeing the light 22:09  |  David 04/11/09
      53.   1 state for the many 22:14  |  SAM 04/11/09
      54.   Amateur poker player 22:16  |  Bazmann 04/11/09
      55.   Dallas, Gaza is still occupied, see the Goldstone Report... 22:16  |  BBSNews 04/11/09
      56.   Oh, really, Chris? 22:19  |  Jasper 04/11/09
      57.   Every one forgets the third way 22:22  |  Jordan 04/11/09
      58.   One State is not the End of the World 22:26  |  Dave 04/11/09
      59.   Palestinians shoot themselves in the foot. Again. 22:28  |  Joe Sittizen 04/11/09
      60.   Yea, sure. That`l be the day... 22:34  |  Jew 04/11/09
      61.   Palestinian States? 22:49  |  Rigoletto 04/11/09
      62.   palestinan state 23:01  |  Daniela 04/11/09
      63.   The Sharon Way? 23:04  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/09
      64.   PALESTIANIAN STATE 23:19  |  shmuel 04/11/09
      65.   # 54 Sorry Jasper 23:30  |  p. 04/11/09
      66.   Abbas is going to loose this election, Hamas is going to win 23:30  |  Kris Lazar 04/11/09
      67.   54 23:37  |  Leeman 04/11/09
      68.   so many hateful posts! 23:47  |  Suzy 04/11/09
      69.   #53 Dave 23:58  |  BDS 04/11/09
      70.   I think this is the best solution 00:16  |  Confused 05/11/09
      71.   If you can`t beat`em, join them? The world supports the Pals 00:16  |  Ivar 05/11/09
      72.   #32 Peacelover in name only! 00:19  |  Yaron 05/11/09
      73.   Jason in Phoenix 00:23  |  Stephen Connor 05/11/09
      74.   Markos Souza in Bel Horizante 00:28  |  Stephen Connor 05/11/09
      75.   There ain`t no such animal 00:35  |  Yonatan 05/11/09
      76.   Fatah stopped supporting terror, but Israel still won`t talk 00:36  |  Isaaq 05/11/09
      77.   Only one precondition for a one-state solution: 00:58  |  Yonatan 05/11/09
      78.   one state solutuion - ISRATEEN 01:07  |  H2O 05/11/09
      79.   bernard ross 01:11  |  stephanie 05/11/09
      80.   bandar michaels 01:25  |  stephanie 05/11/09
      81.   john q 01:26  |  stephanie 05/11/09
      82.   re oren 01:32  |  stephanie 05/11/09
      83.   peacelover 01:40  |  stephanie 05/11/09
      84.   #52 Jordan, it can`t be done 01:50  |  Johnboy 05/11/09
      85.   Erekat Not Serious Yet 02:20  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/11/09
      86.   Erekat`s one state solution 02:37  |  Israel Freeman 05/11/09
      87.   Is it really necessary and desirable 02:57  |  utagawa 05/11/09
      88.   Equal Rights For All 03:16  |  HOWARD SCHWARTZ 05/11/09
      89.   One State for ALL 03:26  |  Iain 05/11/09
      90.   Avi Yerushalmi Res 242 is not between Israel & the Palstinians 03:38  |  CJ 05/11/09
      91.   Chaim Ben Kahan Only the Palestinians living in what became Jorda 03:40  |  CJ 05/11/09
      92.   Joe sittisen " the wholes in their feet are from IDF guns! 04:03  |  jim the mechanic 05/11/09
      93.   Losers 04:46  |  sfg 05/11/09
      94.   Re: sfg, #58 06:21  |  Apa 05/11/09
      95.   Time for all of us to realise.... 07:14  |  Miriam 05/11/09
      96.   1 11:40  |  zionist forever 05/11/09
      97.   One state 14:55  |  Greg 16/11/09
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