Abbas: Israel can call itself whatever it wants

PA President says he believes in "Palestinian state in '67 borders and state of Israel, living next to each other in peace and security."

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Abbas and Tarja Halonen 311 AP (photo credit: AP)
Abbas and Tarja Halonen 311 AP
(photo credit: AP)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that it was none of the Palestinians' business if Israel wanted to call itself a Jewish state or anything else.
"If the Israelis want to call themselves any name, they should address the international community and the United Nations because this is none of our business," Abbas told reporters after meeting with the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, in Ramallah.
RELATED:US State Dept. encouraged by PA borders proposalIsraeli presence in Jordan valley could be flexibleRight blasts Netanyahu for offer to extend freeze
Abbas pointed out that the PLO had recognized Israel when the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. "Our position is that we recognize Israel," he said. "We fully believe in the two-state solution – a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and the state of Israel, living next to each other in peace and security. This is the best option for both people and we must not distance ourselves from the two-state solution."
Abbas urged the Israeli government to halt settlement construction so that the two parties could talk about core issues such as Jerusalem, refugees and settlements.
"We must focus on hope and not failure," he declared. The PA president said that the Arab leaders who met in Libya earlier this month agreed to give the US one month to find a solution to the problem of settlement construction.
He said the Palestinians were ready to return to the direct talks as soon as Israel extends the moratorium on settlement construction. "We are ready to start the talks with the issues of borders and security," he continued. "We remain committed to the option of peace and there's no way back from it."
Abbas expressed hope that the US Administration would succeed in its efforts to convince Israel to stop building in the settlements so that the peace talks would resume.