The Palestinian Authority’s chief negotiator arrived in Cairo Saturday for talks on Palestine’s bid for a UN resolution that would give Israel a deadline to withdraw from the occupied territories.
Coming from Ramallah through Jordan, Saeb Erekat is expected to spend three days in Egypt, where he is due to meet with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil El-Arabi.
The Palestinian negotiator is seeking Egyptian support for Palestine’s intentions to pursue a UN resolution that puts a 12-month deadline on an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal and recognises the state of Palestine.
Erekat’s visit follows decisions by the French, Swedish, Spanish and British parliaments to initially recognise the state of Palestine.
Last week Jordan proposed a draft resolution to the UN Security Council which proposes a “comprehensive peace agreement” between Palestine and Israel within 12 months from adopting the resolution. The resolution mandates “peaceful coexistence” between two states: Palestine and Israel, with Jerusalem a capital for both states. According to the proposal, complete and gradual Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in 1967 should be accomplished by 2017.
Also on Saturday Ismail Haniyeh, chief of Hamas’ political bureau, called on Egypt to oblige Israel to adhere to the ceasefire agreement signed by Hamas and Israelis in August, after the 50-day Israeli aggression against Gaza.
Haniyeh condemned a raid by Israeli air forces on the Gaza town of Khan Younis on Friday, which was without casualties.
MENA news agency quoted Haniyeh as saying that the raid was a “dangerous violation of the ceasefire agreement.”
Source : Ahram online
