Abbas says he wants peace with Israel

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas says that he wants peace with the Jewish state of Israel Speaking after his meeting with Arab Members of the Knesset (MK's) Mohammad Barakeh and Said Nafaa on Sunday, Abbas said that the Palestinian people are striving for peace in accordance with the decisions of international institutions, and seek to establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital. Abbas said that the PA Arabs desire peace and want to have a "partner who believes in peace." He added that the Palestinian aspiration is to establish a state alongside Israel. He pointed out that if Israel agreed to withdraw from Palestinian and Arabs lands, it will improve diplomatic relations with all Arab and Islamic countries according to the Arab Peace initiative approved in all Arab and Islamic summits. "This is an offer for Israeli leaders to live in peace with all the countries in the region," he added.      The most significant part of achieving the status of a non-member observer state at the United Nations, Abbas told the MKs, is that the status of the land has now changed from the status of "disputed territory" to "land that is under occupation," and there has been a chance in the international attitude towards the issue of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Abbas also claimed that settlements in occupied Jerusalem are illegal, adding that Israel recently approved construction plans to divide Judea and Samaria into two parts. He said the PA would not agree to Israel's new construction plans under any circumstances and intends to turn to the international community over the construction, particularly the UN Security Council. Abbas demanded that Israel accepts the pre-1967 lines as final borders, releases all Arab terrorists from its jails, and halts construction in Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem before talks begin. The President spoke about Palestinian reconciliation, saying, "the efforts to achieve reconciliation would resume soon, but elections are important now. We are resorting to the people to decide who comes to power democratically and transparently. The Hamas movement came to power through the ballot box, so they should allow the elections to take place in order to maintain the Palestinian democratic life known for its transparency and fairness."