Palestine urges U.S. to assume role in catering peace process

Palestinian foreign ministry urged Thursday the U.S. administration to promptly assume its role in catering the peace process between Palestine and Israel.

The ministry said in an emailed press statement that it has called upon U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to declare the vision of the U.S. toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including its position regarding the two state solution and its means to fulfill it in cooperation with the regional, international and Arab partners.

The statement highlighted that the Palestinian diplomats are closely following the U.S. reactions and positions, which are generally swinging between silence over daily Israeli violations and publicly declaring unconditional support to the Israeli government.

The ministry described Netanyahu's political proposals as the results of "his own self-negotiating, away from the Palestinian peace partner, which must be rejected by the Administration of President Donald Trump."

Netanyahu said last week that there are two main principles for negotiations with the Palestinians, as the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, and full Israeli security control of the areas between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea.

He said that Israel cannot concede the two basis, pointing out the Israeli settlement activity is not the core of the conflict, according to the Israeli public radio.

The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results. Endit