Palestinian NGO Network: Resuming peace talks now is "dangerous"

Statement says talks are "cover for Israel's expansionist and racist policies" that exploit "so-called political process."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Kerry, Livni, Erekat in peace talks (photo credit: Screenshot)
Kerry, Livni, Erekat in peace talks
(photo credit: Screenshot)
The Palestinian NGO Network, a group of 133 Palestinian NGOs in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip said in a press statement on Wednesday that resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace talks after a three year hiatus would be "dangerous" at this time, Middle East Monitor reported.
According to the website, the statement suggested that peace negotiations would lead to danger because of a failure on Israel's part to officially commit to preconditions proposed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. These preconditions include the June 1967 borders, a freeze on settlement construction and releasing Palestinian prisoners.
The network noted that although peace talks seem to be in motion, it is clear that Israel is not discontinuing the building and expansion of settlement units, seizing land and Judaising Jerusalem, reported the monitor.
"Negotiations act as a cover for Israel's expansionist and racist policies in a blatant exploitation of the so-called political process, in order to dispel the goals of the national Palestinian struggle," the statement allegedly said.
The organization also said that at a time when Israeli boycott campaigns are intensifying throughout the world, "the negotiations will lead an end to this by convincing the world- wrongly that there is a political process in progress."
The group added that due to current tensions within other Arab countries such as Syria and Egypt, "negotiations are being held in the absence of a cohesive Palestinian and Arab foundation that should act as an element of support for any political process".