Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat on Wednesday called on US Secretary of State John Kerry to abide by international law in his proposals for peace between the Palestinians and Israel.
Erekat said that the Palestinians still haven’t received any proposal from Kerry.
“We and the Arabs and Africans, Russians, United Nations and Europe request that Kerry’s proposals be based on international law and legitimacy,” Erekat told the Voice of Palestine radio station.
Erekat said that any proposals for solving the conflict should be based on a two-state solution on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, a full Israeli withdrawal, the return of Palestinian refugees and the release of prisoners held by Israel.
“We hope that any ideas presented by Kerry would not be outside the frame of international law and legitimacy,” he added.
Erekat pointed out that no Israeli official has so far recognized a Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with east Jerusalem as its capital or apologized to the refugees. “This would mean achieving peace which Israel does not want,” he said.
In a related development, PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yusef reiterated the Palestinians’ refusal to accept Israel as a Jewish state.
Abu Yusef accused Kerry of endorsing the Israeli demand for recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, creating settlement blocs in the West bank and “abolishing the right of return for Palestinian refugees.” He also accused Kerry of endorsing Israel’s stance regarding security arrangements in the Jordan Valley.
The PLO official said that the Palestinians would reject Kerry’s proposals if they endorse the Israeli position.
Abu Yusef said that the PLO has recommend that the Palestinian Authority leadership seek recognition of the UN and other international bodies as a way of extracting Palestinian rights.