PNA slams Israeli FM's land, population swap plan

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Sunday slammed Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's plan saying that Israel should work on swapping land and population with the Palestinians rather than giving up land for peace.

The plan of the far-rightist minister would transfer administrative responsibilities of Arab Israeli citizens, who come from Palestinian origin, to the PNA as well.

"Such racist plans have nothing to do with the international peacemaking efforts," Ghassan al-Khatib, spokesman for the Palestinian government in Ramallah told Xinhua.

"The international law is the arbitrator between the Israelis and the Palestinians," he added.

Israel Radio on Sunday quoted Lieberman as saying that Israel should prepare a new diplomatic plan for negotiations with the Palestinians which will abandon the approach of "land for peace" and base on "land and population swaps."

Lieberman suggested polling the public on his offer and then market the model to the international community and at the negotiation tables.

The Palestinians and the Israelis signed in 1993 the Oslo peace treaty based on peace for land. However, Lieberman and other Israeli officials have called for "a Jewish Israel" through exchanging lands and population with the PNA.

Source: Xinhua