By KUNA
Gaza : The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Thursday highlighted the importance of the talks due on Thursday in Ramallah between President Mahmoud Abbas and US President George W. Bush for the Middle East peace process.
“The Palestinian side needs to see signals that what has been agreed upon in the Annapolis and Paris conferences is coming shape on the ground,” Nabil Abu Redina told Voice of Palestine radio.
He added that the “obvious” Palestinian agenda “confirms that the way to peace with Israel has to go through the Arab and international legitimacies, including the Arab peace initiative.” “Both provide for Israel’s withdrawal from the Arab territories occupied in 1967,” the PA spokesman said noting that “It has to be clear that settlements would not remain on the Palestinian territories, neither will the (Palestinian) prisoners remain in Israeli prisons” in any peace pact with Israel, he pointed out.
“The peace to road is obvious, based on the land for peace principle and could be achieved through Israel’s withdrawal from the Arab and Palestinian territories it occupied on June 5, 1967.” Abu Redina stressed the Palestinians’ persistence on “establishing their own independent state with East Jerusalem as a capital. “This is the only target we are trying to realize this year, he said.
Asked if the Palestinians are confident that their state could be realized within a year, as promised by President Bush, Abu Redina said, “We urge President Bush to pressure Israel so as not to waste time or miss the existing chance.” According to Abu Redina, the Israeli side should manifest “real seriousness” in the ongoing negotiations with the Palestinians on issues of final status and in the meantime, “The US Administration will have to carry on with its persistent efforts and pressure Israel so that the aim of setting up a Palestinian independent state could be achieved.”