Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said that a peace deal
to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be achieved within less
than a year, according to an interview published by Israeli
newspaper Ha'aretz on Friday.
Abbas also had proposed to the US, a key Mideast peace mediator,
and Israel to "open covert negotiations" for a final peace
settlement, according to the report.
The talks would be spearheaded by US President George W. Bush
after the new Israeli government was set up following the March 28
general elections, Abbas was quoted as saying.
Abbas also said that he had raised the idea at a meeting with
veteran Israeli politician Shimon Peres, who is number two on the
list of Israel's Kadima party tipped to win the coming elections,
two weeks ago in Jordan.
However, Ha'aretz cited a senior Palestinian source as saying
that the US had not responded to Abbas' suggestion to pressure the
new Israeli government to abandon its unilateral policy and resume
the peace process.
Abbas also stressed that the peace deal must be based on the
Israeli withdrawal to the borders prior to the 1967 Middle East
war, but added that he did not rule out territorial exchanges when
asked if he would agree to a land swap as Israel keeps hold onto
some Jewish settlements on the occupied Palestinian land.
In addition, Abbas said that the coming new Palestinian
government led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) would not
stop him from negotiating with Israel.
If the two sides reached an agreement, Abbas said, he would be
the one to sign it and if necessary, would even put it to a
referendum.
But the Palestinian leader, whose Fatah movement was defeated by
Hamas in the January legislative elections, voiced concerns that
Israel might not be interested in negotiations and thus avoid the
talks under the pretext of having no Palestinian partner since
Hamas, which publicly calls for Israel's destruction, is poised to
control the government.
Abbas' call for secret talks toward a final peace deal has drawn
Israel's doubts.
Israeli Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert blamed Abbas for
failing to crack down on militant groups which he said led to
Hamas' election victory.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev also questioned if
Abbas was capable of achieving any agreement with Israel as Hamas
is to head the new Palestinian government.
Olmert, who is at the helm of Kadima, has announced that he
intends to unilaterally fix the borders with the Palestinians by
2010, vowing to avoid all contacts with the Hamas-led Palestinian
government.?
Rejecting calls to renounce violence, recognize Israel and abide
by interim peace deals, Hamas has decided to present the new
cabinet to the parliament for a vote of confidence on Monday, just
one day ahead of Israel's elections.
With an outright majority in the Palestinian legislature,
Hamasis expected to win the parliament's approval.
(Xinhua News Agency, March 25, 2006)
