Thursday April 16, 2009 12:04 by IMEMC News & Agencies

Detained Fateh leader, Marwan Barghouthi, stated that he believes a prisoner-swap deal would be reached between the resistance in Gaza and Israel, but he also said that with the current right-wing government in Israel, peace seems unlikely.

Barghouthi added that the outcome of the Israeli elections is a clear indication that racism and hatred are spreading in Israel.

He said that this right wing government, with its extreme beliefs and rejection to recognize the legitimate Palestinians rights, will only lead to more aggression, settlements, kidnappings and killings in the occupied territories.

Yet he also states that he believes  a prisoner-swap deal with Israel is possible.

Barghouthi, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was kidnapped by Israel seven years ago and was sentenced to several life-terms.

 He called on the resistance to remain steadfast on its demands for the release of 450 detainees, sentenced to long terms, in exchange for the release of the captured soldier, Gilad Shalit.

Barghouthi also called on the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to stop all peace talks with Israel until the Israeli government declares it commitment to a two-state solution and to halt all settlement activities.

“There is no future for the peace process because Israel is not ready for real peace”, Barghouthi stated, “We tried negotiations for 18 years, we cannot do that anymore because the leaders in Tel Aviv are using the negotiations to cover their ongoing settlement activities and siege and control over Jerusalem”.

“How can we hold peace talks while land grab is ongoing, siege ongoing, invasions, arrests and killing are ongoing”, he said.

Barghouthi called on the Arab countries to respect the Arab initiatives and boycott the Israeli government until it declares commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative and to the legitimate Palestinian rights.