PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that peace could be achieved in no more than a week if Israel is willing.
He said the establishment of a Palestinian state had been delayed by Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his ministers who “must understand that peace is in [Israel’s] interest”.
Mr Abbas said also that no progress had yet been made in the ongoing indirect talks.
Palestinian government spokesman Ghassan Khatib said there had been only two sessions of proximity talks, which were launched this month by US envoy George Mitchell, the former Northern Ireland negotiator.
“During the first meeting with the Palestinians, he received our views on borders [of a Palestinian state] and security. Our positions nearly agreed with [the arrangements] reached with [former prime minister Ehud] Olmert. During the second session, Mitchell came with detailed questions, probing our ideas on these two issues. He did not carry any messages from us to the Israeli side. We don’t know if he shared anything with the Israeli side.”
Even though only one-quarter of the time allotted for indirect talks has passed, Dr Khatib said Palestinians are ready to extend them beyond the four-month timeframe “if there is progress”.
He did not say when direct talks could begin, although Israel is pressing hard for face-to-face negotiations.
Meanwhile, he said, the Palestinians are building the institutions of their state with the backing of the international community, encouraging a popular non-violent struggle against the occupation and the settlements, and bolstering their international standing.
Prime minister Salam Fayyad’s plan to create state institutions is moving forward, Dr Khatib said. “We are securing progress on basic stability and law and order. This has been a main source of complaint. There is economic improvement.
“The growth rate is 7 per cent [making up for part of the 40 per cent deterioration between 2001-2008]. Unemployment is falling. On the international level, the outside world is more supportive because we are convincing them that we can govern ourselves. They understand that interim arrangements cannot go on forever.
“The ultimate message is: if peace talks do not deliver the expected two-state solution, the international community will take action at the UN. If Israel feels it [the international community] is adopting a serious attitude, Israel will recognise the international legality” by ending the occupation.
He observed that Israeli public opinion depends on good relations with the West.
Dr Khatib said Europe took a very important decision last December when it declared that it “would not recognise any [unilateral] changes made by Israel in the territories, including in East Jerusalem, which we expect to be the capital of the Palestinian state.” Any changes have to be agreed by the Palestinians.
This US administration is far more involved than its predecessor which “did not pay attention to regional developments, allowing Israel to unilaterally determine what happens. Now that Israel does not have a free hand, there is less deterioration” in the Palestinian situation, said Dr Khatib. The Obama administration has tackled Israel on settlements, laid down time limits to prevent Israel from stalling the peace process, and is fully engaged in the negotiations.
Dr Khatib said the US now understands that a Palestinian-Israeli deal is in its own national interest, particularly because the US has 200,000-250,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Israel is no longer the cornerstone of US interests in the region which are undermined and sabotaged by Israeli behaviour, he said.
Dr Khatib said that if the peace process failed, the Palestinian Authority will go ahead with its plan to declare a Palestinian state during 2011. It expects that it will have the backing of the international community. He does not believe Israel will launch new wars.
“Israel was successful in its last two wars [against Lebanon and Gaza]. Neither Hamas nor Hizbullah will provoke Israel because the price-tag is too high. Hamas [which rules Gaza] is taking strong measures against anyone” trying to launch attacks on Israel.
Hamas spokesman Mahmoud Zahar deemed such actions “contrary to the interests of the Palestinians” said Dr Khatib.