Jewish PM expected to discuss Abbas threat in Washington

Toronto News.Net
Sunday 8th November, 2009

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has gone to Washington to discuss the crisis in the peace process, brought about by the threat by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to step down because of Israel's refusal to freeze all settlement expansion.

He is in the US ostensibly to speak to American Jewish leaders.

The US and Israel have urged Mr Abbas not to carry through with his threat as he is seen
as a moderate alternative to the Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said on the weekend that Israel has stabbed President Abbas in the back by not giving him any concessions on previous agreements to stop building work in the West Bank.

Mr Netanyahu, who has opposed demands by the Palestinians and the United States for a complete freeze on settlement construction, has offered a partial freeze instead and has said Mr Abbas should not demand concessions prior to the start of the peace talks.

But Saeb Erekat has said peace talks must pick up where they left off nearly a year ago under the previous Israeli government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, when Israel offered a Palestinian state in all of Gaza, and 93 percent of the West Bank.

At the time, the Palestinians rejected the plan because of a dispute over sovereignty in Jerusalem's Old City.

Mr Netanyahu is offering much less of the West Bank and will not discuss Palestinian sovereignty in Jerusalem.

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