UN-Truth

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) told the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Committee meeting in Ramallah today that the Palestinian claim is for a state on the land that was occupied by Israel on or after 4 June 1967 — “that’s all”, he said, “not more than that”…

UPDATE: The Jerusalem Post reported that Abu Mazen said: “We want the world to recognize the 1967 borders as the point of reference for the peace negotiations … And when they do so, they must also recognize East Jerusalem as territory that was occupied in 1967″. The JPost story added that “Abbas said that the Palestinians and Arabs would seek a resolution from the United Nations Security Council that determines the borders of the Palestinian state within the territories occupied in 1967. ‘Once there’s an international recognition of the 1967 borders and settlement construction is stopped, we will go to the negotiations’ ” … This JPost article can be read in full here.

Abbas also said that the Palestinians had tried to negotiate with Israel, but, he noted, “the Israelis said: ‘Jerusalem is ours’, and ‘the refugees don’t exist’ “…

However, Abbas (Abu Mazen) said that he would not accept a return to violence. “I want peace”, he said, “a real peace, with justice…”

Abu Mazen was in fine form, and he wore an OK tie. [I did not get the joke about "Mohammad Goldstone", however, which was so good that Abu Mazen repeated, "Al Akh (Brother) Mohammad Goldstone".].

UPDATE: Also, I noticed that Abu Mazen referred to “Ustaaz (an exaggerated title of respect for someone older and more learned) Shalit”, meaning IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit who was captured in a cross-border raid from Gaza in late June 2006 and who has apparently been held in Gaza ever since — I wonder why Abu Mazen spoke this way? It seemed intended as sarcasm, especially since he followed it up with figures about how many Gazans had been killed or wounded, how many Gaza homes, mosques and schools have been destroyed. Egyptian-brokered negotiations may, or may not, again be on the verge of succeeding to arrange a prisoner exchange that might involve Shalit. But Abu Mazen kept repeating: “What do they want from this Shalit — I don’t imderstand … I don’t understand”…

The PLO Central Council meeting was held in the Muqata’a Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah. Presidential security was securing all possible routes the President might take on his way to and from home …

Ma’an News Agency reported that Abbas said: “The PA will restart peace negotiations once Israel halts all settlement construction and recognizes the 1967 borders as the official borders of the future Palestinian state”. The Ma’an report added that “Abbas denied that the PA is moving towards a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state but said ‘our actions fall within the framework of the international resolutions and legitimacy, while Israel remains intransigent with regard to settlements, borders, the ongoing siege on Gaza, and Palestinian detentions. Israel is the one taking unilateral decisions”… Abbas added that “talks would resume at the point at which they were broken off in December 2008, when Israel began an attack on the Gaza Strip. The EU proposal, declaring east Jerusalem the capital of the future Palestinian state, was applauded by Abbas however, he added, ‘despite being positive, this decision hasn’t achieved our utmost ambitions. Nevertheless, we will depend on the decision as our foundation, and we must push towards this goal, especially in Moscow conference’.” This report can be read in full here.

In another story, Ma’an reported that “Official sources in the Fatah movement said they secured a promise from President Mahmud Abbas that he would not ‘make any surprise decisions’ around whether or not to run for reelection in the next Palestinian vote. The source said Abbas made the commitment front of the Fatah Central Committee, which met Tuesday in Ramallah. The committee reportedly took the comments as a sign that Abbas would not resign before elections are held. Abbas was also quoted as telling the party’s highest governing body that ‘there remain steps I can take, but I will discuss them at a later date’.” Abbas has not defined these steps. This Ma’an story can be read in full here.

Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians