Palestinian legislators from across political spectrum opposed to ‘direct talks’

Tuesday August 24, 2010 12:46 by IMEMC Staff

Mustapha Al-Barghouthi, a leading parliamentarian from the Palestinian left-wing, has published an open letter questioning the wisdom of ‘direct talks’ with Israel at this time. On the right of the political spectrum, the Hamas party, elected in 2006 to represent the Palestinian people, has also challenged the decision by rival party of Fat'h to engage in direct talks with the Israeli occupation government without Israeli halt in illegal settlement construction.

Indeed, legislators from across the political spectrum in Palestine have voiced their concern about the decision by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to engage in direct talks with the Israeli occupation government.

According to the legislators, the previous agreement that was made in 1993 needs to be enforced, instead of new talks which they believe will result in negotiating away even more from the Palestinian people's rights.

Mustapha Al-Barghouthi wrote that these negotiations without preconditions, "are more dangerous than the Camp David talks, since they are not based on the cessation of settlement activity, have no clear guidelines and can only lead to a dangerous failure."

President Abbas was pressured by the US and Israel to engage in the talks with a threat that international aid would be cut off if he did not.

But many Palestinian people believe that Abbas does not represent them, as his term as President expired in January and he refused to hold new elections.

The talks are scheduled to begin in Washington on September 3rd.

Haniya: “Direct Talks Have No Chances Of Success”

Monday August 23, 2010 15:29 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The elected Palestinian Prime Minister in the Gaza Strip, Isma'il Haniya, stated Monday, that the decision of the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank to resume direct talks with the Israeli occupation government reflects a failed policy, and that such talks have no chances of success.

He said that the talks will not be able to restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and their holy sites, and that the Palestinians should only “trust God, their only ally”.

Haniya further stated that the Palestinian people are a role model for all Arab and Islamic countries and that they remained steadfast through many years of Israeli siege and aggression.

On Sunday, Hamas postponed a meeting that was supposed to be held with Fat'h officials in Gaza city. The meeting was to touch issues regarding restoring unity but the decision to resume direct talks with Israel pushed Hamas to indefinitely postpone the meeting.

The decision of the Fat'h-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to resume direct with Israel was also denounced by most of the Palestinian factions.

Talks with Israel were halted after the Israeli war of Gaza in December 2008, but the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) decided, on Friday, to endorse the decision to resume talks that would be held in Washington this September.