Rice: “Establishing a Palestinian State is a top priority for the Bush Administration”

Tuesday October 16, 2007 02:34 by Rasheed Hilal - IMEMC

US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, stated on Monday that establishing a Palestinian State, living next to Israel, is a top priority for the Bush Administration, and added that the upcoming peace conference in the US is meant to create an international understanding for ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice

Rice also stated that the Bush administration is interested in improving the living conditions of the Palestinian residents, which will require international support.

She also said that Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and the negotiations teams of both sides are committed to achieving a final agreement to end the conflict.

Rice also asked Olmert to resolve the issue of conflicting reports issued by his government regarding the ongoing talks with the Palestinians. She stated that the “United States believes that establishing a Palestinian State serves the Israeli and Palestinian interests.

“The Israelis should listen to the United States regarding its position on establishing a Palestinian State”, Rice stated, “The US believes that creating a Palestinian State is essential not only for the benefit of the Israelis and Palestinians, but also to the benefit of the whole region and the United States”.

She also said that the time has come to create a Palestinian State living in peace besides Israel, and that there are several issues that Israel should deal with and provide concessions.

Rice also stated that the Palestinian and Israel must be committed to implementing their commitments to the Road Map Plan since this is an essential step towards confidence building.

Meanwhile, president Abbas said that it is important that the Palestinians and Israel should achieve a joint document before the November conference in the US. This document, Rice added, must specify the basis for final status peace talks such as the issue of Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements, water and bilateral relations.

Abbas added that peace talks should lead to a peace agreement based on the international resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the vision of president Bush for a two-state solutions.

Abbas also said that he asked Rice to held in stopping the Israeli settlement activities, to ask Israel remove the annexation wall, and to stop the digging near the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

He told Rice that the Road Map Plan clearly asks Israel to remove the Wall and stop its settlements activities, and to refrain from any actions that would affect the final status agreement.

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