By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Negotiations with Israel must lead to ending the 1967 occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem, said the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.
In a statement to “Voice of Palestine” radio Tuesday, he refuted reports that Israel had presented, during its negotiations with the Palestinians, a withdrawal plan that would leave the Jewish state in control of 8.5 per cent of the West Bank.
“These claims are test balloons launched by Israel,” he said, adding that “all of these issues are not based on reality, and we are trying hard to engage in negotiations that will end the 1967 Israeli occupation.”
Erekat said the negotiations, which took place three times a week, “have not made any noticeable progress.”
Moreover, he said, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would be visiting the region on June 10 to discuss what had been achieved in the Israeli-Palestinian talks.