Abbas: Olmert, PA agreed to state in '67 borders

PA President Mahmoud Abbas revealed that he had reached an understanding with former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that Jerusalem would not be divided, Israel Radio reported on Saturday.

According to an interview with Abbas on Al-Jazeera TV on Friday, an understanding was reached regarding the borders of a Palestinian state, which would be based upon 1967 borders with minor adjustments and land exchange areas, and would include third party representatives stationed within the new founded state.

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The report also stated that the agreement maintained that Jerusalem would remain open to all religions and would consist of two municipalities working side by side.  Abbas did not discuss the issue of sovereignty over the Temple Mount.

Abbas called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to agree to his predecessor's understanding, which he emphasized could be the basis for renewing negotiations, the report stated.

However, Abbas warned that a continued collapse of the peace process could lead to dangerous consequences for Israel, which could lead to a popular uprising rather than a military confrontation.

The PA president asserted that he would continue his efforts to seek Palestinian statehood, but ruled out a unilateral declaration.

The Palestinians have been drumming up international support for recognition of a Palestinian state as early as this fall. This week, they got 122 countries to co-sponsor a draft Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN observer, told the committee on Friday the number of co-sponsors will definitely increase "as an indication that the international community is determined that Israel has to comply with its obligation with regard to settlement activities."

The United States, which has been trying to revive the stalled peace talks, is against settlement expansion but has strongly opposed Security Council involvement.

On Friday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a halt to "irresponsible rhetoric" that questions a two-state Israeli-Palestinian solution and incites hatred and violence.

"There is no place for irresponsible rhetoric that calls into question these fundamentals, seeks to de-legitimize the other's heritage or incites hatred and violence," he told the opening meeting of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

Ban's speech reflected growing UN frustration with the stalemate in negotiations. The talks stalled just weeks after restarting last September because Israel lifted a moratorium on construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.