Israeli-Palestinian talks not AL decision to make

Secretary General of the Palestinian Fatah al-Intifada movement Col. Said al-Muragha says Arab foreign ministers are not in a position to discuss a US proposal for indirect peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

“Arab foreign ministers are not qualified to make a decision, which would provide cover for the Palestinian Authority to authorize the US to speak and decide on our behalf on the issue of Palestine,” Muragha, also known as ‘Abu Musa,’ told Press TV in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

Colonel Abu Musa also stated that there was “no overwhelming consensus” among the Arab League members on giving a green light to an American proposal for the resumption of indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks.

“Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, like several Arab ministers has expressed his country’s strong objection to the [Arab League] statement. The declaration is indeed the work of certain Arab states,” he said.

Abu Musa also described support for indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians as meaningless. “There is no point to return to the negotiating table until Israel freezes all settlement constructions in the West Bank as well as East Jerusalem (Al-Quds), and halts digging operations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he said.

“How on earth do the so-called representatives of Arab nations agree to accept the American proposal for indirect talks while it is not in the interest of the Palestinian Cause and instead favors Israel to attain its objectives?”

On Wednesday, the Arab League expressed its support for a US proposal for indirect Middle East peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Members of the Arab League said that they would review the results of the negotiations after four months, and insisted that direct talks could not begin until Israel completely halted all settlement constructions beyond the 1967 borders.