BICOM

The Palestinian Authority (PA) yesterday issued a statement addressed to US President Barack Obama, stating that there are no concessions left for it to make in the pursuit of a peace agreement with Israel.

An AFP report yesterday quoted a senior Obama administration official who said that President Obama had told Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would press PA President Mahmoud Abbas to make the necessary concessions to agree a framework plan for final status talks, when the two meet at the White House on 17 March. US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to present Israeli and Palestinian leaders with such a plan during the coming weeks, which he hopes will enable peace negotiations to extend beyond their original April deadline.

In an apparent response to the report, the PA released a statement yesterday saying, “It is important for you to know Mr President that there is nothing left that we can make concessions on.” The statement warned, in what appeared a veiled threat to turn to the United Nations and other international organisations, “Don’t be partners with Netanyahu in order to put us in a corner, because the choices before us are limited and clear. Is this what you want?”

One of Netanyahu’s key demands to broker a peace deal is Palestinian recognition of Israel as a characteristically Jewish state as a foundation for mutual recognition. However, PA President Mahmoud Abbas has ruled out such recognition and during a meeting with Meretz leader Zahava Gal-On in Ramallah on Monday, he appeared to add new conditions to the continuation of peace talks. Abbas told Gal-On that for negotiations to be extended, Israel must institute a freeze on construction in the West Bank and free additional Palestinian prisoners beyond those already slated for release as part of a deal to re-start peace talks in July. Israeli media reports yesterday said that Abbas also wants the US to grant a package of financial benefits.