Ma’areef: “Israel Suggested Secret Conversations, Which Were Rejected By Palestinian Officials”

During the Quartet visit to Palestine last week, Israel submitted a proposal to break the current impasse of the peace process. This is by initiating secret direct negotiations, which were immediately rejected by Palestinian officials. This rejection, however, upset Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stated that Palestinian President Abu Mazen is against peace, the Ma’an News Agency reported.

Image From www.maannews.net

According to an article published in Ma’areef newspaper on Monday, the Israeli proposal that was presented to the Quartet is based on them entering into secret and direct negotiations. Those negotiations would be represented by Netanyahu’s counsellor, the attorney Yitzhak Malju from the Israeli party, and Saeb Eriekat from the Palestinian party. The goal of these negotiations is to coordinate a direct meeting that gather both Abu Mazen and Netanyahu together in order to reach to a final agreement.

The newspaper’s website quoted some sources close to Netanyahu's office, which stated that the proposal was made during the meeting which was held last week in Jerusalem, between Malju and the representatives of the Quartet, and a separate meeting between the Quartet and Saeb Eriekat. During the meeting, Eriekat responded to the representatives of the international Quartet with a rejection from the Palestinian party to enter any secret negotiations before the Israel freezes settlement activity completelym and recognizes the 1967 borders.

As a result of the Palestinian refusal to enter the negations, Netanyahu
expressed his outrage and attacked the Palestinian President, Abu Mazen, saying that he rejects peace and has no serious intentions to enter into negotiations with Israel to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The Website also reported that Israel considered the proposal that was made by the international Quartet and the judge. This recommends stating positions, by Israel and the Palestinians, during the next 3 months on all issues of dispute. Thus, it made secret negotiations, which aim to bring the views and discuss the differences as an introduction to reach a final agreement.

International Middle East Media Center