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No matter, Abbas (earlier) told US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, "We all know there is no alternative to peace through negotiations, so we have no alternative other than to continue these efforts."
Then, on September 25, before the UN General Assembly, he said "Israel must choose between peace and continuation of settlement," construction, followed by reversing his position the next day, saying talks will continue despite no "freeze" extension.
In response, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) suspended its participation in the PLO's Executive Committee, Deputy General Secretary Abdel-Rahim Mallouh and Political Bureau members Khalida Jarrar and Omar Shehadeh, warning of serious consequences and repercussions of appeasing Israel and America. A policy statement said:
After decades of failure, "The decision to return to direct negotiations....is an affront to the blood of our people (and) represents the persistence of the PLO leadership to continue the devastating Oslo path." Current talks "provide cover for the occupation practices and policies of settlement building, land confiscation, displacement, siege, detention, imprisonment and killing, (contributing) to the deepening of the disastrous internal Palestinian division."
A Haaretz September 28 editorial was also harsh headlined, "Netanyahu is failing to create a climate for peace," saying:
The rhetorical moratorium "was intended to convince Palestinians (that Israel) really intends to end its occupation of the territories," what, of course, it has no intention of doing. As a result, Palestinians continue living "under occupation and violence," unable "to achieve economic, and especially employment, independence."
Thousands given permits work in Israel, many others in settlements. "Every morning, they (head for) building sites and fields throughout Israel," but not easily, Haaretz writer Avi Issacharoff and photographer Daniel Bar-On documented "the disgraceful conditions at the Qalandiyah and Bethlehem checkpoints into Israel." Before getting there they endure delays and humiliations at other checkpoints along the way.
Unless Netanyahu eases passage and treats Palestinians with respect, "peace and reconciliation" are impossible - the continuing status because there's no chance he'll do it.
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