Palestinian PM to set out grounds for negotiation with Israel

[alp227]

The Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, is to deliver a letter to his Israeli counterpart in the pair's first ever meeting, setting out the grounds on which the Palestinians are prepared to resume negotiations and warning that the status quo cannot continue.

The letter, from Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, will say the Palestinian Authority (PA), set up under the 1993 Oslo accords, has "lost its raison d'être", according to local media accounts. However, Abbas will not threaten its dissolution, a move advocated by some who say Israel must take full responsibility for the territory it occupies and that the PA provides it with a figleaf.

Instead Abbas warns that the two sides must "avoid sliding towards the one-state option, especially as the current status quo cannot continue". It restates four key issues:

• A Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders.

• A halt to settlement activity.

• The release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

• Adherence to previous agreements.

full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/17/palestinian-pm-grounds-negotiation-israel

[azurnoir]

1. it was established some hours ago that Fayyad would not be meeting with Israeli representatives

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11348253

Abbas's letter or 'missive' as some Israeli publications choose to call it has been delivered via Saeb Erekat

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/palestinians-deliver-letter-from-abbas-to-israels-netanyahu/2012/04/17/gIQAtTHmOT_story.html