Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday in Cairo that he is moving forward with a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution on setting a deadline to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. He also vowed that the Palestinians will never recognize Israel as a Jewish state, reported The Associated Press.
"It's impossible for us to wait any longer, because Israel continues its aggression and expropriation of lands and setting facts on the ground by continuing to build settlements," Abbas told Arab League foreign ministers at an emergency meeting. "The government of Israel doesn't want, for internal reasons, to define its borders and we can't continue with this situation."
"The status quo is not sustainable any longer, especially at a time when the Israeli government is continuing its attacks, its settlements, demolishing houses, confiscating lands and imposing facts on the ground," he said.
"We will never recognize the Jewishness of the state of Israel," Abbas said, referring to recent Israeli proposals that would legally classify Israel as a Jewish state.
While Arab League foreign ministers unanimously supported the plan, there is little chance the resolution will pass, because it will either fall short of the needed votes, or because the U.S. will veto it, according to AP. Either way, it is likely to gain additional international recognition.
Abbas asked U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to assist in drafting the Security Council proposal, hoping that it will put pressure on Israel's settlement construction, according to The Times.
Abbas also accused Israel of establishing an apartheid government, citing examples such as Jews-only buses, Israeli expansion and establishment of legal authority of West Bank settlements, the proposed "Jewish state" law, and required loyalty declarations, according to The Times of Israel.
The latest U.S.-backed peace talks stopped in April and were followed by a 50-day war between Israel and Hamas militants. Israel has refused to restart talks until Abbas cuts ties with Hamas.
"Return to negotiations is possible if Israel agrees to a full freeze of settlement [construction], including Jerusalem, release of the fourth group of long-term prisoners, and setting a timetable for negotiations which will begin with setting borders," Abbas said.
Last week, in what could be a hint of what's to come, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman proposed that Arab citizens of Israel be offered financial incentives to leave and relocate to a future Palestinian state, according to Reuters.
