Israel-Palestine: Ramallah Rejects Foreign Minister Lieberman's Map
Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 23:55
An Israeli official has said that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has submitted a map, envisioning an interim agreement with the Palestinian Authority, to the Prime Minister's Office. Israel would turn over between 45 to 50% of the West Bank to the provisional state, though additional land could be transferred to Palestinian control in future negotiations.
On Sunday, chief negotiator Saeb Erekat rejected the plan for a Palestinian state with provisional borders. Backed by a series of international recognitions, Erekat said:
The Israelis feel embarrassed and isolated by the international community, which has gradually supported the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is why they are trying to turn the ball over to the Arab and Palestinian side.
Even the US President Barack Obama has asserted several times that he sought a permanent rather than temporary solution for the question of Palestine.
Israel is aware of the international support to an independent Palestinian state, and they know there are 77 embassies of Palestine and 24 representation offices across the world including two complete embassies in countries which are permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia and China.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum also called Lieberman's proposal as "a desperate attempt".
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