RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressed doubts that a peace deal can be reached by the end of the year, as not one of the six key issues in a final-status arrangement has yet been resolved, a report said yesterday.
Speaking to the Israeli daily Haaretz on the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Oslo Accords, Abbas said that Washington plays a central role in the peace process. Senior American officials are anxious to reach an agreement by the end of the year and are convinced this is possible.
Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged at a US-hosted peace conference in Annapolis in November to reach a comprehensive peace deal by the end of 2008. But so far little tangible progress has been achieved due to the wide gap between the two sides.
“We presented our ideas and demands regarding key issues — Jerusalem; the right of return of Palestinian refugees; the Jewish settlements in the West Bank; water; and borders of the future Palestinian state — but have not received any answer from the Israeli side,” said Abbas.
Among other things, the Palestinians are demanding negotiations over disputed lands claimed by both sides, such as the Latrun region near Jerusalem, as part of their demand for complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Regarding the refugees, the Palestinian president said: “We understand that if all five million refugees return to their homes, the state of Israel would be destroyed.”
Nonetheless, he added, Israel must discuss both its responsibility for the refugee problem and a practical right of return.
“Palestinians who do not return to Israel will be able to return to Palestine,” he continued. Abbas also said a solution to the refugee problem would be based on the Arab peace initiative of 2002 — but Israel must agree to any final decision.
“I presented the document to Olmert, but he did not respond,” Abbas said. “Regrettably, to this day no debate has been held by the Israeli Cabinet.”
Abbas stressed that he would reject an interim arrangement, such as a state with temporary borders. Any agreement must address all the components of the conflict, including the Jerusalem issue and the right of return, he said.
“Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” he said.
