| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| DFLP: Abbas should apologize for folding on settlements |
| 2009-09-22 |
| Ma'an -- The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine on Monday called for President Mahmoud Abbas to apologize to the Palestinian people for buckling under pressure from the United States to meet with Israel's leadership in New York on Tuesday. In a letter obtained by Ma'an, the DFLP urged Abbas to apologize in advance of the tripartite summit, which comes following his and the Palestine Liberation Organization's insistence that there would be no talks without an Israeli settlement freeze. US President Barack Obama was expected to host both Abbas and Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York on Tuesday, although the White House insisted that American officials have no "grand expectations" for the meet. The DFLP letter deemed pointless any talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to never freeze construction of the illegal structures being built in occupied Palestinian territory, despite pressure from US envoy George Mitchell for a temporary halt. According to the leftist movement, the planned meeting sends a message to the general public and entire General Assembly of the United Nations that efforts to isolate Israel and particularly its right-wing government had failed. The letter added that the meeting would be used to as a cover for Israel's "aggressive and expansionist policies in Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as its blockade on the Gaza Strip." It further urged Abbas not to issue a statement announcing the resumption of negotiations, and instead suggested he take the opportunity to stand strong on settlements. There should be no negotiations without an end to settlements, the letter said. The letter concluded by calling on Arab countries to stand unified behind the Palestinians by rejecting calls for normalization with Israel. It also urged them to insist on an Israeli withdrawal from all Arab and Palestinian territories occupied in 1967. |
| Posted by:Fred |