Peace Talks Can Continue Beyond April 29 Deadline, Says Mahmoud Abbas

by Benson Agoha

Israel and Palestinian Authority will continue their peace negotiations beyond the April 29, 2014 deadline, which has been subject of intense speculation in recent times.

According to media reports PA President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that he was willing to continue peace talks with Israel beyond the deadline.

Abbas reportedly confirmed this in while speaking to Arabic daily A-Sharq al-Awsat, a london based medium, but he said the extension must be "aimed at the establishment of a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem," The Times of Israel reported.

Israel regards Jerusalem as its future capital.

Words and accusations were traded this week after Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu announced a reduction of contacts with the Palestinian Authority - a unilateral act designed as a response to what Israel regarded as a unilateral action when Abbas' applied to join 14 agencies some of which are said to be associated with the United Nations.

Israel renounced the move and failed to release an expected 400 prisoners in exchange for extension of negotiations beyond April 29.

The recent announcement by the PA President is considered positive and raises hope that the peace talks will be back on track.

But according to ToI, a senior member of the PLO, denied the reports credited to Abbas over the extension of talks with Israel.

According to the Israel newspaper, "Wasel Abu-Youssef was quoted by Maariv saying that the Palestinian leadership had not yet met to deliberate on the matter and that there were conditions posed to the Israelis on which an extension of talks depended."

ToI said a source told on Radio Israel would release the next wave of Palestinian prisoners it refused to set free last week  on condition that the PA “freezes the situation” and commits to halt its drive for recognition by international organizations.

"Abbas’s statements came as the Arab League on Wednesday gave its own approval to the extension of talks in a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, providing Abbas with diplomatic backing for the move," ToI said.

Palestinian leaders have threatened Israel with unilateral action if talks failed to produce results, saying the treaty applications were a first step in attempts to gain recognition of Palestinian statehood outside of bilateral negotiations.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry blamed both sides while Israeli leftist politician, MK Zahava Gal-On who is critical of PM Benjamin Netanyahu's government said he made a bad decision and gave the 'US the finger'.

* Twitter: @woolwichonline.
* Source: ToI.