Palestinian Party Rejects Mideast Peace Talks

W460

A major faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization rejected new peace talks with Israel just hours before their scheduled resumption in Washington on Monday after a three-year break.

The leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said that talks' resumption was a unilateral move by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas which did not have the backing of the PLO as a whole.

"The PFLP is against a return to negotiations," said one of the party's leaders, Khaleda Jarar.

"It is an individual move," she said, in allusion to Abbas.

"These talks will be presided over by the United States, just like Oslo 20 years ago," she said of the negotiations that led up to the 1993 accords for limited self-rule.

"We went to the U.N. precisely to take our case out of U.S. hands."

The last was a reference to the Palestinians successful bid for upgraded status at the United Nations last November, which was strongly opposed by both Israel and the United States.

Washington was to host preliminary talks later on Monday between Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat and his Israeli counterpart, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni.

The last round of direct negotiations between the two sides broke down in September 2010 just weeks after they started.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited the region six times in as many months to broker the resumption of negotiations.

Comments 2
Missing phillipo 29 July 2013, 17:13

So, even before talks about talk have begun, the Palestinians represented by the PFLP and Hamas, have stated in advance that they do not want to have peace with Israel.
Then they wonder why Israel takes the stance that it does.
Let us assume that the talks succeed, Abu Mazen returns home with a peace treaty, and then unfortunately meets the same fate as President Saadat. The new Palestinian rulers tear up the peace treaty, then what? Will the whole world continue condemning Israel?

Thumb Senescence 29 July 2013, 20:58

"The new Palestinian rulers tear up the peace treaty, then what? Will the whole world continue condemning Israel?"
The Arab countries will prevent that from happening once peace is achieved and palestinians see the benefits of having an internationally(well, it's just the US that matters, sadly, otherwise palestine would already be a coutnry) recognized country.

"So, even before talks about talk have begun, the Palestinians represented by the PFLP and Hamas, have stated in advance that they do not want to have peace with Israel. "
"Then they wonder why Israel takes the stance that it does. "

Is this some sort of justification for thousands imprisoned, tortured, murdered, relocated, having lost their homes and families and such?