Livni lambastes Abbas’s ‘unacceptable positions’

[Jefferson23]

* Gall on steroids

Top negotiator says Palestinians to pay for leader’s hardline stance; contradicts PM, says not all settlements to remain after peace deal

By Ilan Ben Zion January 25, 2014, 9:01 pm

Israel’s chief negotiator with the Palestinians, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, on Saturday lashed out at Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying in an uncharacteristic critique that if he stuck to his “unacceptable positions” the Palestinians would suffer the consequences.

Speaking in an interview with Channel 2, Livni said Abbas’s positions were “not only unacceptable to us but to the whole world, and if he continues to stick to them, then the Palestinians will be the ones to pay the price.”

Abbas has recently stated that no peace agreement would be possible without all of East Jerusalem [including the Old City] as the Palestinian capital, has staunchly refused to recognize Israel’s self-definition as the state of the Jewish people, and has demanded the right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to Israel proper, saying nobody but the refugees themselves could negotiate away that right.

Livni’s highly unusual warning — she has long publicly endorsed Abbas as a partner for viable peace terms — echoed statements made by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday. Speaking in Davos, Kerry said that ”If [the Palestinians] fail to achieve statehood now, there’s no guarantee another opportunity will follow anytime soon.” He also emphasized that in order for the talks to yield results, leaders on both sides would have to make “courageous decisions necessary to embrace what would be fair and what would work.”

remainder: http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-to-pay-for-abbass-unacceptable-positions-livni-says/

[King_David]

1. Best for Israel to unilaterally withdraw from West Bank

And impose a 2 state solution on both sides... Unilaterally..
Safe secure borders and realistic future for Jerusalem .

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

2. Not happening under the present government.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113456647

[aranthus]

3. I agree, but do you see this government of Israel doing that?

And if it did, would the idea have support in Arab world, and Israel's allies?

[King_David]

5. Some party should make it a platform in the next election nt

[Scootaloo]

4. Ass-covering for Netanyahu's refusal to even approach the subject

Where's Oberliner to tell us what a saint Zipper is?