Palestinians deny agreeing to West Bank talks with Israel on Monday
Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat contradicts earlier Palestinian claims of immediate follow-up to Friday's Washington peace summit.
By Avi Issacharoff Tags: Israel news Middle East peaceThe chief Palestinian negotiator in peace talks with Israel vehemently denied late Friday reports that the two sides would meet again in the West Bank on Monday after kicking off a new round of negotiations in Washington.
In a conversation with Haaretz, Saeb Erekat dismissed claims made earlier in the day by another senior Palestinian negotiator, Nabil Shaath, who said the parties would follow up Friday's U.S. meeting with another in the city of Jericho on Monday.
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From left, U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in May. |
| Photo by: AP |
Shaath, who attended the official launch of the direct peace talks in Washington earlier this week, said a United States representative would be present at the meeting, which would also include Erekat and chief Israeli negotiator Yitzhak Molcho.
According to Shaath, the unscheduled meeting would lay ground for the next formal negotiating session, scheduled to begin on September 14 in the southern Sinai Red Sea city of Sharm al-Sheikh.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will all participate in the Sinai summit.
Shaath said Israel had decided to postpone the end of its 10-month freeze on West Bank settlement freeze from September 26 to September 30 to give the sides extra time to negotiate.
"Israelis claim that they can't continue the settlement freeze while we say that we can’t continue with negotiations if settlement building continues," Shaath said. "We will continue to work seriously until the end of the month."
He also said U.S. President Barack Obama intends to visit the region in order to move the peace process forward, but that an official date had yet to be set.
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Barely a few days out of the first (and probably last) talks, the Palestinians are already making demands and refusing to talk peace. Their goal is not peace but genocide and both the PA and Hamas charters make that clear
Avoiding Int'l laws, Geneva conventions, Quartet agreements and violating even Israeli laws by the Settlers and the gov't by continuing to occupy and expand in the WB, is not a "demand". It is the basis for a fair and just peace. Demanding that the int'l will and laws be set aside is the action of those that will not make peace. simple, so why do you struggle with the facts?
There is a tug-of war going on in the PA authority. Only blind people cannot see it. Personally I was quite surprised to see Shaat taking center stage. The Erekat's blow was not too late in coming. To sum up the two:. Erekat is the most negative element in Abbas' group .Nabil Shaat,by nature is more positive,but Erekat will never allow Shaat & his side any part of the cake. Erekat wants to take over the PA Authority & become head dog. With him no progress can or will be made. He is closer to Nasrallah & Hamas than Addas or Salam Fayyad.. Israel. Don't fall head over heels at this new venture. The negative forces are strong & once again the Palestinians will miss another opportunity on the alter of: Gimmie. Gimmie, Everything !
who do they represent ? abbas tenure ran out ayear ago and the only elections were won by hamas ! this circular farce goes on forever . the usa insisted on elections so long as their gang won ! but they lost and HEY PRESTO it matters as much as obamas kenya birth !!
on one shoulder, and the goodly Mitchell perched on the other shouldber... and the chorus of Hamas groupies endlessly chanting in the background... it's enough to unnerve the strongest soul...
HISTORICALLY PEACE TREATIES, TRUCE TALKS, ARMISTICE AGREEMENTS, INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCES ETC. ARE CONVENIENTLY BROKEN IN THE INTERESTS OF EACH NATION’S NATIONAL POLICY OF THE MOMENT. THE ADMONITION IS NOT ONLY “NEVER AGAIN” BUT ALSO “NEVER FORGET.”
Settlement freeze would need the presence of army units and that contradicts the demand to end the occupation. The Pals try to embroil Israel into a civil war, but they will not succeed. They will succeed in losing this opportunity and blame Israel for it.
the ONLY reason the IDF would be needed in the settlements is the Settlers' failure to adhere to the law. Can't blame the Pals. for that, now can we?
Palestinians should refuse to allow that clown to do anything in their names. After all, only represents the US and Israel's interests and most certainly not those of his people. Besides, who the hell is he anyway? A clown put in placed by the US by force and whose fake/stolen presidency expired a year ago? Ha! What a charade!
the only wayto solve the palestinian conflic is to talk face to face.
about something that was best - and intended to be - left unsaid.
The most dangerous threat to the Israeli people and the state of Israel is not a nuclear Iran. It is hezbollah's boy in the Oval Office, B.H.O.
You and the others here who oppose the negotiations have a common theme. Obama is evil. You sound like Ahmadinnerjacket, & Haniya & Nasrallah & Ovadia Josef. Why don't you all get a new recording. Glen Beck is not the Messiah and Fox News is not his profit.
but its you who are defensive and surmize that Idid with one slight mention of the anointed one as they call him in America:) I always encourage those concerned and remind them that there ALREADY EXISTS A PALE STATE AND IS AWAITING THE PAL PEOPLE WITH OPEN ARMS its you guessed it JORDAN no need to create a 2nd "state" in the Palestinian Region, its just absurd
in the US is Glen Beck and he's a fraud. McCain and the neocons tried to anoint Obama. But he didn't take to it. You cannot realistically try to move 2.5 million people against their will without a little genocide. And Jordan won't go for that nor will the US nor most Israelis. I'd bet not even the vast majority of settlers have the stomach for that. Jordan won't take back the West bank and Egypt won't take back Gaza.
in the US is Glen Beck and he's a fraud. McCain and the neocons tried to anoint Obama. But he didn't take to it. You cannot realistically try to move 2.5 million people against their will without a little genocide. And Jordan won't go for that nor will the US nor most Israelis. I'd bet not even the vast majority of settlers have the stomach for that. Jordan won't take back the West bank and Egypt won't take back Gaza.
On the same page.
they just have not told you.
The Palestinians can't even figure out what they have or have not committed to. As expected, they can't even agree on what they should agree upon. This will undoubtedly be another exercise in futility for all involved.
Israel's cynical policy of 'divide and conquer' has been very successful. Illegally build and encircle their cities thence cut them asunder with 'Jew only' roads and special 'closed military zones' (not to mention the wall)...disallow their travel between and in/out of these cutoff enclaves by revoking visa's, declaring many 'present absentees'....subject them to harsh penalties and imprisonment..... End goal = get rid of their intellectuals and get them uneducated and angry ....and just sit back and watch them react...to cries of 'terrorists', 'noone to talk to' and so forth. combined with the complicity of the state in assisting this process with one hand and issuing contradictory 'but we're the only democracy in the region' on the other and we have one of the longest running, most cynical and enduringly evil enterprises ever devised. And now you accuse them of being somehow 'disorganised' or 'confused'. If this is Zionism in action then one can only hope they get the rewards they so richly deserve.
They will never be reunited
Grow up already
Saeb Erekat is a permanent spaner in thngs the wheels of peace. Every excuse to dodge peace is good for him and his gangs making pots of money out of the anarchy in the Middle East; with handouts from EU,USA,UAR....
Israel gives in to all our demands and we do not budge an inch. The Palestinian idea of a state with no Jews living in it is racist. Why does no one scream apartheid at this idea.
IT WAS NEVER RATIFIED BY THE PLO !!! CHECK
Palestinian leaders have said many times illegal settlers would be given Palestinian citizenship and equal rights, so what apartheid are you speaking of?
Ma'Nish ta na ---NOT (friends will understand)
so why would they ever agree to it?
Money, power, positions, they think time is on their side