Shaath: “No Negotiations Amidst Settlement Activities”

Monday March 22, 2010 08:38 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Higher Political Committee of the Fateh movement held a meeting on Sunday in Ramallah and decided that there will be no resumption of peace talks with Israel while it is ongoing with its illegal settlement activities.

Nabil Shaath - Image passia.org

Nabil Shaath, member of the Executive Committee of the Fateh movement, told the Maan News Agency, that the Higher Committee and the Central Committee of Fateh movement held talks on the resumption of talks with Israel, the American stance on the issue and the stance of the Quartet Committee, and decided that talks with Israel cannot be resumed amidst Israel’s illegal settlement activities and violations in Jerusalem.

“Therefore, we will not return to the negotiations table as long as Israel continues its violations”, he said.

Shaath added that the recent stance of the U.S. administration in which its retracted its demand that Israel should halt its settlement activities has a very negative impact on peace talks.

He also said that U.S Middle East Envoy, George Mitchell, will be holding a meeting with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in Jordan on Monday.

Shaath further said that the Palestinian leadership will ask the United States to clarify its stance on Israel’s plan to build 1600 units for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem. Unconfirmed sources said that Israel might delay this plan for three years.

“We will not be dragged into a new round of escalation and armed conflict” he said, “Israel is trying to create a new conflict, but we will continue our nonviolent resistance and will not fall into Israel’s trap of a renewed armed conflict”.

He also said that Israel has escalated its violent attacks against popular nonviolent resistance in the West Bank, and in Gaza, hoping that a new armed conflict will ignite to give it another chance to strike and invade the Palestinian territories.

Shaath added that the Sunday statement of Hamas leader, Dr. Mahmoud Zahhar, regarding homemade shells are very positive and indicate political awareness.

Zahhar said that firing homemade shells from the Gaza Strip harmed the national Palestinian interests.

Zahhar saluted the resistance and said that the Palestinians and their armed groups must be aware of Israel’s plans and must act in accordance to the Palestinian national interests.

He also said that Hamas will not abandon the resistance and will act on preserving the Palestinian national interests.

The Hamas leader further said that the movement wants to achieve a solid unity deal with Fateh and the rest of the Palestinian factions.

palestine | peace process | news report saed at imemc dot org