PA stresses Palestine recognition

Gaza, March 31: The Palestinian Authority (PA) has stressed recognition of an independent Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.

Acting PA Chief Mahmoud Abbas said his side intends to work on the case if no accord is reached between the PA and Israel, and if serious talks do not resume, Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported on Thursday.

“If Israelis do not want negotiations, and don’t want an accord, then what are we supposed to do?” Abbas asked.

Direct negotiations between Israel and the PA were re-launched in Washington in September 2010, but were suspended later on after Tel Aviv refused to freeze settlement activities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend the partial 10-month moratorium on the settlement expansion projects, which expired last September.

Despite international calls for a halt to such activities, Israel is continuing its settlement building, which is illegal under the international law, in the occupied territories, especially in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).

In January, PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said the Palestinian Authority would initially seek UN Security Council recognition but, should it fail, it will turn to the General Assembly, where the decisions are not binding but there is no veto.

On Tuesday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon once again urged Israel to put an end to its occupation of Palestinian territories and its aggression against Palestinians.

The UN chief pointed out that Israel’s construction of illegal settlements on the occupied lands must be halted immediately.

——–Agencies