By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat slammed Israel on Saturday for invading West Bank city of Nablus despite an earlier agreement that shifted control of the city to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
“The Israeli invasion of Nablus, where Palestinian government implements a security reinforcement plan, is an indication that reaching a real peace is impossible,” Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio.
“What is happening on the ground indicates the impossibility of launching a peace process and the impossibility of restoring hope to the people in order to make the desired peace,” Erekat added.
Israeli troops stormed al-Ein refugee camp in Nablus in a predawn operation and imposed curfew before withdrawing in the morning.
Palestinian security sources said more than 15 Israeli tanks took part in the raid.
Earlier this month, Israel allowed the Palestinian security forces to deploy in Nablus to impose security. However, Israel continued nightly operations to detain Palestinian activists.
In other statements, Erekat said the PNA has not yet received an invitation from the United States to participate in an upcoming peace conference that will discuss reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Erekat reiterated that the talks between Israel and the PNA, in preparation for the conference to be held later this month in Annapolis, Maryland, were still difficult and the differences still existed.