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No point in negotiations in light of the settlement activities

Palestinian informed sources said the Palestinian delegation will focus during the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations session tomorrow on one single topic which is the need for the Israeli government to stop all settlement activities in the Palestinian lands. The Palestinian delegation headed by Ahmad Qurei' and Israeli delegation headed by Israeli FM Livni will meet tomorrow after they met on December 12 when they agreed to meet tomorrow. Qurei' denounced the Israeli government issuing several announcements on erecting more settlements and expanding the existing settlements, especially in the city of Jerusalem and its surroundings. He said there is no point in Annapolis Conference or Paris Conference or any other negotiations in light of the Israeli insistence to proceed in their settlement schemes and in light of their rejection to make a commitment to halt all those activities. He called on the international community, mainly the United States, to assume their responsibilities with all seriousness and not just launch criticism or express concern. Qurei' said the Israeli schemes which aim to secure a Jewish majority and sovereignty over the Holy City will not change the fact that East Jerusalem is the capital of the future Palestinian state and the UN resolutions have made it clear in a manner that does not accept various interpretations saying that settlement construction in the occupied territories is illegal and that this is a blatant violation to the international law and the international legitimacy resolutions.

In the meantime, Qurei' said the Palestinian side will raise this matter with US President Bush and will call on him to assume his responsibilities during his upcoming visit to the region next month.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, member of the negotiations delegation and member of PLO Executive Committee, said a new negotiations session will take place tomorrow, Monday, and till now we are still waiting for a clear Israeli position on freezing settlements. He said: We demand freezing of all settlement activities in the Palestinian lands without any discrimination whether in Jerusalem or in any other part of the West Bank.

Published at Al Ayyam NewsPaper on December 23, 2007