RAMALLAH, March 12, 2025 (WAFA) – President Abbas Wednesday said that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s remarks that the Palestinians missed the opportunity to sign a map that promised to bring peace were incorrect.

Commenting on Olmert’s remarks drawing on the racist wisdom of former Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban that Palestinians “never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity” for “peace” and the map he showed to BBC documentary-maker Norma Percy as part of a series titled “Israel and the Palestinians: The Road to 7th October,” President Abbas stated that these remarks were incorrect, particularly that “we ]the Palestinian leadership] did not receive a peace map from him [Olmert] during our talks that continued until the last day of him serving as the Prime Minister.”

President Abbas described the talks he had with Olmert as “serious”, which addressed all final-status issues, however, President Abbas added that Olmert was not allowed to remain in office as the Prime Minister of the Israeli government to follow up on what was discussed.

He went on to say: “During these talks, we did not at all receive any map or paper to which we had to respond.”

He noted that the Palestinian leadership had responded favorably to all proposals made and spared no effort to ensure the success of any step intended to achieve just peace based on international law, the UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative and that would enable the Palestinian people to realize their rights, including the right to establish their independent state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

K.F.