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Ashrawi: The Americans have withdrawn from the negotiations

May 21, 2014 at 9:40 am

PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ahsrawi said that the US has partially withdrawn from directly intervening in the negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

According to Al-Araby Al-Jadid news website, Ashrawi gave an interview to official Palestinian radio on Tuesday, in which she explained that: “There are attempts by the US to re-evaluate issues and take an opportunity for revisions. But when the US says we leave the matter for the two sides [of the talks], this means that it is partially withdrawing from direct intervention.”

The news website also cited her saying that: “There are indicators that prove this. Moreover, a number of European countries have realised that the US has decided not to intervene directly at this stage. The US is suffering from great frustration resulting from Israel’s insistence on continuing with settlement expansion, as well as Tel Aviv’s refusal to abide by the international framework of reference or to release the fourth batch of veteran Palestinian prisoners.”

Ashrawi called on the European Union to “play an active political role and not to leave the peace process to the Israeli-American alliance because the US has failed to make Israel abide by international law and the requirements of peace, and it has also failed to stop settlement construction.” She additionally called on the EU to “keep its ban on settlement products; continue to apply European laws that ban any act or activity that is not in line with international law; and hold Israel accountable for its actions”.

Regarding the national reconciliation government and the names that were presented for inclusion to President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, Ashrawi observed that, “There are no hysterical European reactions against the upcoming government. The EU realises that any national consensus government will abide by the PLO’s stances and the president’s platform. They do not have any concerns.”