By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
RAMALLAH, West Bank – Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, has said that Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank could force the Palestinians to reject any proposed two-state solution in future peace negotiations.
Erekat’s statement came during a press conference on November 4, in response to allegations that the United States was becoming lax in insisting that Israel halt all settlement construction or expansion, as required by international treaties.
Erekat added that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was simply encouraging more settlements when she praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s offer to temporarily limit settlement construction in the West Bank. Netanyahu’s plan would stop development of new settlements, though would not place any restrictions on any of the three thousand buildings already under construction in Israeli settlements. There was considerable international outcry in response to Clinton’s remarks on October 31, as Palestinians have stated that a complete freeze on settlement construction would be a precondition to any peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians. On November 4, Clinton reiterated the U.S. support for a complete settlement freeze after she met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Even as political leaders continue to debate conditions for peace negotiations, confrontations between Palestinians and Jewish settlers continued in East Jerusalem. Several Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem have been issued evacuation orders, presumably to make room for incoming Jewish settlers. The Salah family, whose home is under one of the evacuation orders, has lived in the Beit Safafa neighborhood of East Jerusalem for several generations, and has remained in their home. The Salah family was attacked on October 30, reportedly by twelve settlers who were armed with weapons. Five members of the family were injured. The Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights has subsequently accused the Israeli police of not adequately responding to the assault.
Erekat said that the alternative for the Palestinians was to re-focus on the one-state solution, “where Muslims, Christians and Jews can live as equals…It is very serious. This is the moment of truth for us.”
For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Settlements “End Two-State Hopes” – 5 November 2009
Ma’an News Agency – Erekat: Two-State Solution May Have to Be Abandoned – 5 November 2009
Ha’aretz – Clinton: Settlements Are Illegitimate, Should Be Halted Forever – 4 November 2009
New York Times – Clinton Backs Peace Talks Before Israeli Settlement Freeze – 4 November 2009
Palestinian News Network – Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights Condemns Attack on Beit Safafa Family – 31 October 2009
