RAMALLAH, May 6, 2009 (WAFA)- Chief of the Negotiations Department in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erakat said, Tuesday, that “Successive Israeli governments have failed to implement their obligations under existing agreements. When Netanyahu speaks of a fresh approach to peace, implementing Israel’s obligations under existing agreements is precisely the fresh approach that Palestinians and the international community expect of his government.”

Commenting on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to AIPAC, in which Netanyahu called for a ‘fresh approach’ to peace between Palestinians and Israelis, Dr Erakat added, “this includes an immediate freeze on all settlement activity, particularly in and around occupied East Jerusalem, and lifting all restrictions on freedom of movement and access for Palestinians both in and out of, as well as within, the occupied Palestinian territory, including an immediate end to the siege on Gaza.”

 “And Netanyahu must explicitly endorse the establishment of an independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, which remains the cornerstone of the two-state solution. Negotiations for their own sake, without a clearly defined end goal, are no substitute for a just and lasting peace,” Dr. Erakat insisted.

 He continued on saying that, “a commitment to past agreements, and implementation of Israel’s existing obligations, will create the environment needed to rebuild the legitimacy and credibility of the peace process, and send a message that the Palestinians have a partner for peace.” 

Dr Erakat affirmed that economic prosperity for Palestinians rested on Israel ending its occupation; adding that “economic development is a right to which Palestinians are entitled, but which they have been denied as a result of Israel’s occupation.”

He stated that “Israel’s regime of checkpoints, road blocks, permits, settlements and the construction of Israel’s Wall, which fragment the occupied Palestinian territory into isolated cantons and strangle all freedom of movement for goods and people, remains the major obstacle to economic development for Palestinians.”

Dr. Erakat concluded: “Without a political settlement, meaning an end to Israel’s occupation and the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state, talk of economic peace will be seen for what it is, namely an attempt to normalize and better manage the occupation.”