Abbas: Liberman is 'killing the peace process'

PA president responds to FM's condemnation, renews threat to take statehood bid to UN General Assembly.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
PA President Mahmoud Abbas addresses UNGA _311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
PA President Mahmoud Abbas addresses UNGA _311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday reacted angrily to Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman’s remarks concerning President Mahmoud Abbas.
During a meeting with his Australian counterpart, Bob Carr, Liberman on Tuesday was quoted as saying that “there will be neither diplomatic progress nor an accord with the Palestinians as long as [Abbas] remains in power.”
Liberman was slamming Abbas for a letter the PA sent to the EU recently urging it not to upgrade political and trade links with Israel.
Nabil Abu Rudaineh, a spokesman for Abbas, said the Israeli government would have to bear the dangerous repercussions of Liberman’s comments.
Abu Rudaineh said the foreign minister’s statement was identical to statements former prime minister Ariel Sharon made “in which he openly called for killing the late president Yasser Arafat.”
“Liberman’s remarks expose a mindset that is interested in killing the peace process and aggravating the conflict and wars,” the PA spokesman said.
“We hold the Israeli government responsible for these statements that are in violation of diplomatic norms.
Peace will not be achieved as long as the likes of Liberman are in power in Israel.”
Meanwhile, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad accused Israel of working to undermine the efforts toward achieving a two-state solution.
Fayyad, who was speaking to reporters during a tour of the Hebron area in solidarity with villagers who have been served with house-demolition orders by the IDF, warned that Israeli measures would eventually lead to a one-state solution.
“There will be no solution or peace, security and stability unless an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty on the 1967 borders [and] with east Jerusalem as its capital is established,” Fayyad said.
“Our people want freedom from occupation. Otherwise, the conflict will be only over equal rights in Israel – something our people don’t want.”