PLO to int'l community: helping launch peace process

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee called Thursday on the international community to help launch the peace process with Israel based on international law.

The Executive Committee, chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a press statement that the international peace conference proposed by France must aim to end the Israeli occupation and the establishment of the Palestinian state within a binding time frame.

The committee also warned of "consequences of Israel's defiance of resolutions of international legitimacy and the will of the international community."

The statement also said the Palestinian leadership intends to take the "Israeli colonial settlements file to international forums, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and call on it to shoulder the responsibility in putting an end to this policy by stopping its treatment of Israel as an exceptional state and hold it accountable."

The Palestinian leadership welcomed last Friday the statements of French Foreign Minister Lauren Fabius, saying his country would resume efforts to organize an international conference to "rescue the two-state solution."

Fabius said shall this initiative fail, "we must undertake our responsibility and recognize the Palestinian state."

Israel rejected Fabius's statements, saying it is an ultimatum that Palestinians would use to fail the talks.

The Israeli public radio cited a senior American official as saying that direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israel are the best way to reach a mutual agreement.

The lastest round of peace talks ended in the first half of 2014, after 9 months of meetings mediated by the United States.

On the internal affairs, the PLO's Executive Committee expressed its commitment to a serious and responsible dialogue to overcome obstacles in the path of ending the internal rift since 2007.

The statement also welcomed the "effort of Arab brethren in Egypt, Qatar and the other Arab states to push forward the national reconciliation, boosting national unity and restoring the Palestinian political system."

The committee said it hoped the national dialogue would reach an agreement over mechanisms needed to implement past agreements signed in Cairo and Doha; paving the way for the formation of a national unity government with the participation of all national factions and social movements, preparation for general legislative and presidential elections and convening the Palestinian National Council, the PLO's highest legislative body, including members of all national factions.

Fatah and Hamas movements are expected to meet in Doha Sunday hoping to resume efforts for national reconciliation.

An agreement was reached between both parties in April 2014 but failed to achieve breakthrough on the ground.

Fatah and the national unity government accuse Hamas of disabling the work of the government in the Gaza Strip, maintaining a shadow government to run Gaza's affairs, while Hamas movement says the national unity government "ignores" the Strip and its deteriorating problems. Endit