Netanyahu accuses Abbas of having "turned his back on peace"

Feb 13, 2012, 8:54 GMT

Tel Aviv/Cairo - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of having 'turned his back on peace.'

Abbas, in a speech to the Arab League Council on Sunday, said he would not continue direct talks unless Israel stop settlement activity, including in East Jerusalem, accept a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, and release Palestinian prisoners.

If Israel did not respond positively, Palestinians would resume their steps for recognition at the United Nations, he said.

'In his speech, Abu Mazen (Abbas) turned his back on peace,' a statement from Netanyahu's office said.

'Instead of entering direct negotiations that can bring about the end of the conflict, Abu Mazen prefers to joint with the Hamas terrorist organization, the same Hamas that hugs Iran,' it said.

Abbas announced last week that he would be the acting prime minister of a Palestinian unity government that will pave the way for long overdue elections this year. He said the elections may be held in June or July - if the Central Elections Commission managed to complete its preparations by then, including updating the voter registry in the Gaza Strip.

Direct Israel-Palestinian talks resumed in Jordan last month, after a more than 15-month freeze.

But Palestinian side has complained that Israel did not present anything that would prompt them to continue the 'exploratory' talks.

Abbas plans to send letters to Netanyahu and world leaders, explaining the Palestinian position.

'We will say we cannot continue with the status quo, that is a (Palestinian) Authority without authority,' he said in Cairo.

Israel, he said, has stripped the Palestinian Authority of all it was granted in the 1993 interim Oslo peace accords.

If Israel did not accept the Palestinian terms for negotiations, 'we will go back again to the international organizations. We will go to the Security Council and the General Assembly.'

If Israel were to again freeze the transfer of custom revenues collected on behalf of the Palestinians on goods entering via its border crossings, or the US Congress were again to suspend aid, as it did when Palestine was accepted as a member of UNESCO, the UN cultural organization, in October 'we will face these punishments, but what can we do,' said Abbas.

'Settlements are everywhere,' he said. 'Maybe one day we will wake up to find a settlement in the heart of the Muqata where we do our business.' He was referring to his presidential headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Foreign Minister Riyad Malki told Voice of Palestine Radio Monday Abbas would send the letters in the coming days.