Abbas Demands Removal of the Illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall, Netanyahu Flatly Rejects it

Abbas: Israeli settlements are illegal, the Wall must be removed

Thursday July 23, 2009 00:30 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

In a joint press conference at his Ramallah headquarters with the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Sultanov, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, stated that the Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid, Annexation Wall, and the settlements in the occupied territories are illegal and must be removed.

Abbas added that the Palestinian Authority is committed to the Road Map Peace Plan, and all singed peace deals, and added that the Palestinians will implement their obligations as they previously did.

Abbas also said that halting all Israeli settlement activities, including what Israel describes as ‘natural growth of settlements’ is a major issue in the peace process, and that Israel must recognize an independent Palestinian state that is contiguous and sovereign.

The two leaders also held talks on internal Palestinian reconciliation efforts, and the general conference of Fat'h movement, in addition to several regional and international issues.

On his side, the Russian official stated that he discussed with Abbas the efforts to strengthen ties between Russia and the Palestinian Authority, in addition to a number of issues related to the Middle East.

Sultanov added that resuming peace talks should be conducted with the aim to resolve the main issue at hand, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and that Russia supports the Palestinian right to statehood and independence.

He also said that Russia and its partners in the Quartet Committee, are ready and willing to continue their efforts to help in achieving peace in the Middle East.

Referring to the regional conference in Russia, Sultanov stated that Russia and its partners want to find a way to resume the stalled peace process on all tracks, and added that his country wants to ensure the success of the conference and calls on all parties to practice utmost efforts to achieve peace.

Netanyahu replies to Abbas: Israel will not remove West Bank Wall

Published yesterday (updated) 23/07/2009 11:52
[Ma'anImages] Bethlehem – Ma’an –

The Israeli occupation government prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Wednesday that his racist government will not remove its illegal Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall, built illegally on Palestinian lands, in the West bank, rejecting a reported demand from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"The separation fence will remain in place and will not be dismantled," Netanyahu told members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, according to the newspaper Haaretz. He also called the concrete barrier "a critical component of Israel's security."

Israeli media reported on Wednesday that Abbas’ Palestinian Authority (PA) had relayed to US President Barack Obama a demand that the wall be removed since the security situation in the West Bank had improved. The report appeared on the front page of the Hebrew-language Ma’ariv daily.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters he had brought up the issue to the US. "The Israelis know that the wall adds to the complexities. It's part of the problem and not part of the solution," he was quoted as saying.

Designed to be more than 700 kilometers in length, the wall snakes through the interior of the West Bank, looping around Israeli settlements and cutting off Palestinian access to Jerusalem. After spending billions of dollars (from American taxpayers) on construction, the wall is still not complete, and has a number of gaps, particularly in the south.

Palestinians see the barrier as yet another method of confiscating land. Residents of a number of Palestinian communities, such as Bil'in and Ni'lin, demonstrate every Friday against it.

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