PLO: US is responsible for 'racist' Israeli policies
Palestinians say international pressure on Israel is necessary to effect change; says Quartet failure makes September UN bid necessary.
By REUTERSPA President Abbas at PLO Executive meeting 311 (R)(photo credit: REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
RAMALLAH - The Palestinian leadership, in unusually harsh criticism of Washington, on Tuesday held the United States responsible for "racist" Israeli policies it said had sabotaged the peace process.The leadership said recent developments had confirmed the need for the Palestinians to go to the UN General Assembly in September to seek international recognition for a state of Palestine on lands occupied by Israel since 1967.RELATED:Quartet succumbed to Israeli pressure, PA says Quartet envoys search for elusive peace talks formula The Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) executive committee convened in Ramallah after a meeting in Washington of the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators on Monday failed to announce any progress towards reviving peace talks.The PLO said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's government aimed to prevent any resumption of negotiations and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state."The only option facing the world today, especially the United States, is to use all tools to oblige the occupiers to halt their racist, expansionary policy," the PLO said in a statement released after its meeting."The United States bears the prime responsibility for the continuation of this racist [Israeli] policy," it said.Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has said the Palestinians will seek international recognition for Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly if there is no resumption of peace talks by September.The United States has said it will oppose any Palestinian attempt to secure full membership of the United Nations at the September meeting. It describes it as a unilateral step that will have no more than symbolic value.Click for full Jpost coverage
if(catID != 151){
var cont = `Take Israel home with the new Jerusalem Post Store
