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Q&A: No Unilateral Declaration of Palestinian State, Says Erekat
Jerrold Kessel and Pierre Klochendler interview SAEB EREKAT, the chief Palestinian negotiator
JERUSALEM, Nov 16 (IPS) - The Palestinian Authority has embarked on a new strategic drive to get renewed
international recognition for the borders of the future Palestinian state. Last
Thursday it gained backing for this approach from the Arab League.
Going into a meeting with European representatives in Ramallah on the West
Bank to explain the Palestinian strategy, and hours before embarking with
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on a three-nation tour of
Latin America, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator, Saeb Erekat, spoke
exclusively Monday morning to IPS's Jerrold Kessel and Pierre Klochendler.
IPS: There has been much talk in recent days of a unilateral declaration
of a
Palestinian state. What's the purpose of that move and what lies behind it?
Saeb Erekat: Actually, we're not planning to declare our state unilaterally, as
has been mistakenly reported. What we intend to do is to take to the United
Nations Security Council a request that the international community re-
endorse the two-state solution based on the pre-Jun. 5, 1967 borders. The
key are those borders. Israel is, as usual, twisting our words to suggest that
we are about to declare a state unilaterally. We are not planning to do that.
IPS: Still, your initiative is unilateral...
SE: All we are trying to do is to salvage the two-state solution along the '67
borders. It is Israel which is practising unilateral steps all the time - through
their occupation, through their demolishing of homes, through their
settlement expansion policy, through their roadblocks and checkpoints.
They're lying when they try to accuse us of damaging unilateral steps.
IPS: The way (Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu was talking
Sunday
night seemed to be a threat that if you pursue this direction rather than
return back to peace talks right away, Israel might respond by another
unilateral act of its own - annex settlement blocs, big chunks of the West
Bank.
SE: Actually, it's the Israeli leadership which doesn't want to resume
negotiations with us where they were stopped in December 2008 (with
Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza followed by the February Israeli elections which
put Netanyahu at the helm). The Israeli government is simply trying to find a
way to put the blame on us. It's a broken record. It won't convince President
Obama, I'm sure. The world knows what's going on.
IPS: Have you already convinced the international community of the merit
of
this strategy?
SE: The Arab world is on board - we got the endorsement of the Arab League
last Thursday. I'm about to unveil the idea to the European representatives,
and tomorrow President Abbas and I are headed for three nations in Latin
America - Brazil, Argentina and Chile. I believe they'll all see it's a good
strategy, the only one that can save the two- state solution.
IPS: And Washington? Haven't you had some disappointments with the
Americans of late, what with their backing down on their demand for Israel to
freeze all its settlement activities?
SE: We haven't spoken to them yet about the initiative, but we intend to do so
soon, and we hope to get a positive response from the President. We want to
continue with the U.S. What can we do? We have no option.
IPS: Wouldn't it be preferable if Washington, not the UN, would endorse
your
borders?
SE: The border plan is what the UN Security Council will devise. It's imperative
to preserve the two-state solution.
IPS: Are you worried that Washington might see this as premature or
untimely, and thus veto a resolution at the Security Council?
SE: They shouldn't do that. It would be bad for U.S. interests, damage
America's position in the region. We're just trying to keep alive the two-state
solution which Israel undermines daily with its occupation policies.
IPS: Shouldn't you wait to see if Washington can't revive peace talks
between
you and Netanyahu?
SE: We've tried our best. We've had 18 years of negotiations. Israel remains
the sole authority, the occupying power of our towns and refugee camps, and
goes on with its settlements. It's really the time. No one is against Israel's
right to exist. We've recognised Israel on 78 percent of our land. We've
accepted that our state will be on 22 percent of the land.
IPS: Isn't it becoming too late for two states? More and more Palestinians
seem to be prepared for a one-state solution of Israelis and Palestinians
living together.
SE: Even without an Israeli partner we remain, and we will remain, committed
to two states. Israelis and Palestinians cannot live together without two
states. There is no option but the two-state solution.
(END/2009)
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