Ramallah: Israel will reply to Palestinian proposals on the resumption of peace talks on Monday in Amman, according to a top Palestinian official.
Wasel Abu Yousef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Organization said that the Israeli envoy, Yitzhak Molcho will hand over the Israeli response on Monday to Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat. Israel had verbally highlighted more than 20 issues which it constitutes as a hindrance to establishing a Palestinian state.
“Molcho provided during the meeting 22 points verbally, which made the creation of the Palestinian state impossible,” Abu Yousef said.
The Palestinians and Israelis are schedule to hold their second meeting in the Jordanian capital of Amman on Monday where envoys of the Mideast Quartet and the Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Jouda are expected to attend.
“Israel wants to keep full control over the entry points to the West Bank; Israel wants to keep full control over key strategic areas of the West Bank including the Jordan Valley areas; and Israel does not and will not agree to give the occupied East Jerusalem to the Palestinians as the capital of their future state. This along with many other issues makes the creation of an independent Palestinian state impossible,” he said.
Abu Yousef continued to insist that a halt to colony construction would be the only way Palestinians could come back to the negotiating table.
