West Bank – The United Nations’ representative to the recently resumed peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority suggested in a radio interview on Sunday that failure to clinch an agreement that would pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state would lead to the disintegration of the interim government in Ramallah.
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In remarks broadcast on Israel Radio, Robert Serry said that the urgency of the hour gives him hope that both sides will approach this latest round of negotiations with greater willingness to make progress.
“There is a growing realization on both sides that it is important for them to make meaningful progress and to make these talks not just another round of talks,” Serry told Israel Radio.
“I think it is also a time for both sides to make tough decisions,” he said. “If there is a willingness to do this, then I believe this goal [of a final status agreement] can be reached within six to nine months.”
Nonetheless, Serry warned that yet another collapse of the peace process would cast a heavy pall over the political future of PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
“President Abbas has already been, for a long time, the leader of what is considered to be the more moderate wing of the Palestinian movement which is committed to a two-state solution,” Serry told Israel Radio. “Another failure will have consequences for him.”
“But the very reason that in my view the consequences for both sides will be pretty serious if this fails again gives me hope that they will be serious in this US-led effort to return to meaningful negotiations.”
The 63-year-old Dutch diplomat says that peace is all the more imperative since the current governmental infrastructure that has taken root in the West Bank will no longer have legitimacy if it is not seen as a way station toward a Palestinian state.
“If this state-building remains without a credible political horizon, that cannot just continue endlessly, and that is why the resumption of talks at this point is so important,” he said.
“These institutions have been built up. If their ultimate meaning, which is to be the foundation stones of a Palestinian state, becomes a total illusion, then we should not take their continued existence for granted. It should be clear to anyone.”
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
No Palestinian state? This is the first good news I have heard and hopefully the talks will all fail by the hand of the Palestinian. There is no such thing as a Palestinian people. They were invented by Arafat in the sixties. There has always been Arabs living in parts of Israel from earliest times. I don’t see any reason why they cannot continue to live as before in the land of Israel. They only need to declare loyalty to the State and reap the benefits of living in the only modern advanced democracy in the Mideast The very idea of a Palestinian state and a Palestinian people is utter nonsense and falsehood
This rhetoric is nauseating. We all know it is directed at trying to force Israel’s hand to give even more concessions. This is corrupt thinking, and those with intellect need to grow up. First, show me what concessions Abbas ever made. Then we’ll begin discussing anything. He barely has the control he wants over his population of blood thirsty savages that were raised (partially with UN and US support) to hate Israel and to dedicate their lives to its demise.
Robert Serry said: “… President Abbas has already been, for a long time, the leader of what is considered to be the more moderate wing of the Palestinian movement which is committed to a two-state solution …”
Abu Mazen is committed to a 2-state solution??? … Only temporarily and only if Israel gives away land won in a defensive battle, i.e. the 6 Day War. Abbas keeps broadcasting (on an official PA TV stations) his long-term goal of having the entire MidEast as Judenrein CH”V.
Mr. Serry: Do you pay attention to the news? Do you not take the PLO seriously?
Are you afraid of offending millions of recent European immigrants and therefore spew this nonsense?
Serry’s statements are reminiscent of:
Jeremiah 5:21
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
Isaiah 6:9-10
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear you indeed, but understand not; and see indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
What a great negotiator. As everyone knows, they best way to get people to negotiate is to…threaten them?
Interesting i thought the UN would say the end of israel