Abbas warns of more belief in one-state solution

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday accused Israel of frustrating the Palestinians and trying to increase their faith in one statehood with two nationalities.

"I warn from an increasing debate on one state with two nationalities in the light of the Israeli rigidity towards the peace process," Abbas said at the opening of Fatah Revolutionary Council's meeting in Ramallah.

"We want independence and we don't think of any alternative choice, but the occupation, its acts and plays pave the way for other choices that we don't seek and we don't accept," Abbas said, adding that people talk about the one-state solution "due to the frustration they are in."

He also stressed that the Palestinians will not accept a Palestinian statehood with provisional borders, but want a statehood on the lands that Israel has occupied in 1967.

"You are responsible for the ensuing consequences if you don't accept statehood on the borders of 1967," Abbas said, directing his speech at Israel.

The peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) stopped in December 2008. Palestinians blame the Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem for the failure.

Meanwhile, Abbas reiterated that Israel "blocks the efforts to resume the negotiations," urging Israel "to invest in peace which is better than building settlements and robbing land" and to make peace with the Arabs and the Palestinians, saying Israel "would gain" so much in the long term from this.

Abbas also called on the Islamic Hamas movement, which controls Gaza, to accept an Egyptian offer to reconcile with Fatah and restore political unity to Gaza and the West Bank.

"This disagreement because of some fears from a point here or there should not continue," Abbas said, referring to Hamas' reservations on the Egyptian proposal.

Hamas, which routed pro-Abbas forces and seized Gaza in 2007, refused last year to sign the Egyptian offer, calling for amendments.

Source: Xinhua