Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has made it clear that there will be no peace negotiations with Israel if they do not stop their settler expansion in the West Bank. Abbas is in Washington to meet Barak Obama. Abbas position has been strengthened by US Secretary of States Hillary Clinton, who yesterday declared in no uncertain terms that Israel must call a halt to settlements n territory that is destined for a future Palestinian State.
In talks last week between Israeli Premier Netanyahu and the US president, Obama confirmed the need to stop settlement expansion as a condition for peace in the region. However Israel – through experts and military advisors – only wants to halt “illegal” settler building, allowing for “the natural development” of already existing settlements.
Clinton left no room for doubts: “He [President Obama] wants to see a stop to settlements - not some settlements, not outposts, not 'natural growth' exceptions.. We think it is in the best interests of the peace process that settlement expansion ceases”.
Some 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem. Under the US-backed 2003 roadmap peace plan, Israel is obliged to end all settlement activity, specifically including natural growth.
The plan also required the Palestinian Authority to crack down on militants who seek to attack Israelis.