Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday called on Israel to start a new political track based on the two-state solution, and implement steps of trust-building between the two sides.

Abbas made the remarks during a meeting with Swiss President Guy Parmelin at his office in Ramallah, reported the Xinhua news agency.

“We are extending our hands to the Israelis to start implementing the steps of trust-building and then start a political track based on the principle of the two-state solution,” the PA chairman was quoted as having said.

He stated that the Palestinian Arab side will not resort to violence at all “because it is not the policy of the Palestinian people,” adding that the Palestinian people can’t keep living under the “Israeli occupation” forever.

Abbas also warned that the Palestinian leadership has other options to go for in case Israel rejects the call to start a new political track based on the two-state solution.

For his part, Parmelin told Abbas that creating a political horizon is Switzerland’s main concern, adding that his country is committed to supporting dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.

He also called for respecting international law and for launching a political process that ends the conflict between the two sides.

Peace talks between Israel and the PA failed in 2014 when the PA unilaterally applied to join international organizations in breach of the conditions of the talks, which were sponsored by the US. The process has been stalled since then.

In July of 2020 it was reported that Switzerland is offering to mediate between Israel and the PA by holding a diplomatic summit, in which the sides will try to resolve the disagreements regarding the sovereignty crisis and resume negotiations between the parties on the basis of the peace deal proposed by former US President Donald Trump.

Abbas has long called for an international peace conference that would deal with the stalled Israel-PA peace process.

The PA chairman introduced the plan as an alternative to the Trump peace plan, which he rejected outright when it was introduced. Abbas refused to consider the Trump administration an honest broker for negotiations since Trump’s declaration in late 2017 recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Abbas: We are extending our hands to the Israelis  https://amos37.com/abbas-we-are-extending-our-hands-to-the-israelis/

Josh Toupos

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