Fayyad From Hertzilia: "Ending Conflict Is The Only Assurance To Israel's Security"

Wednesday February 03, 2010 11:09 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Dr. Salaam Fayyad - imeg nedp.ps

Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, stated during his speech at the Hertzilia Conference on Tuesday at night that ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the only means that could assure Israel's security, and stability in the region.

Fayyad said that stability is directly related to increasing the presence of the Palestinian security forces in Palestinian cities.

Fayyad further stated that the Palestinians need to be in control of the security outside of Areas "A", referring to Palestinian territories under Israeli security control.

As for the current the current situation, Fayyad said that the stalled peace process must be resumed, but added that comprehensive peace cannot be achieved unless Israel recognizes the Palestinian right to statehood and independence.

He further stated that the serious flow of the Oslo peace deal is that it fails to recognize that the final status negotiations should lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Palestinian PM said that the Road Map Peace Plan is an important document as it calls to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and ending the Israeli occupation.

The Road Map Peace Plan, Fayyad added, calls for a full freeze of all settlement activities.

"How can we trust the political process while settlements are expanding?!", Fayyad stated, "Under the current situation, how can the political process lead to a permanent solution?"

The Palestinians seeks to establish their state in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel after the 1967 six-day war, including occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel refuses a full withdrawal from the occupied territories, refuses any withdrawal from Jerusalem, and insists on constructing and expanding Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, and in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel also refuses to recognize the Right of Return of the Palestinian refugees, and still refuses to hold talks on borders and natural resources.

Israel Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, stated during the conference that should West Bank Palestinians become able to vote in the Israeli elections in the future, then Israel would become a bi-national state, and added that if the Palestinians are not allowed to vote “then Israel would become an apartheid country".

Meanwhile, settlement leaders in the occupied territories where angered by the statements of Israeli President, Shimon Peres, when he described Dr. Fayyad as a “follower of Ben Gurion”.

Head of the Yesha Council of Settlements, Danny Dayan, stated that Fayyad is a “racist who wants Israel cleared of Jews”.

Dayan added that Fayyad is not a follower of Ben Gurion, and that he recently burnt Israeli products in the West Bank.

Dayan was referring to an event organized by the Palestinians in the West Bank to boycott products of Jewish settlements. Fayyad participated in the event, and participated in the burning of settlement products.

Jewish settlements in the West Bank violate the International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

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