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Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia. (Pierre Turgeman / BauBau)
Last update - 00:02 24/09/2008
Livni to Qureia: Israel will respond with force to Palestinian terror
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters
Tags: Tzipi Livni, Ahmed Qureia 

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia Tuesday evening to express her objection to his comments in an interview to news agencies earlier in the day.

Qureia had said that Palestinians are prepared to choose resistance again if negotiations break down.

"Violence and terror will never be legitimate and they will not achieve for the Palestinians any national aim. Israel is managing negotiations and will respond with force to violence and terror," Livni said.
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Qureia said his words were taken out of context and that he meant only political resistance, rather than resistance involving violence.

Earlier Tuesday, Qureia said that he has won an assurance from Livni that peace talks will not stall while she tries to form a new coalition government.

Livni beat close rival Shaul Mofaz to replace the outgoing prime minister, Ehud Olmert, as leader of the ruling party. President Shimon Peres on Monday invited her to form the next coalition government.

Speaking in the wake of their meeting Tuesday, Qureia also warned that violence could erupt again if the talks collapsed.

"The Palestinians will continue to negotiate. But, if the talks reached a dead end, what do we do? Capitulate? Resistance in all its forms is a legitimate right," Qureia said.

He said the meeting with Livni had been positive.

"It was a good meeting. Livni reassured me she would continue the peace process without accepting any conditions."

Israeli officials confirmed the meeting had taken place but gave no details.

Referring to the goal set by U.S. President George W. Bush last November, Qureia said he had "great doubts about finalizing a deal this year."

He said Palestinian leaders were considering their options if talks failed to produce a deal that would lead to independence.

If they lost hope in negotiations and became convinced Israel was not prepared to end its occupation, renewed attacks against Israelis were possible.

Asked whether he was saying the Palestinians might resume suicide bombings and attacks inside Israel, Qurie responded: "All forms of resistance."

Livni, now trying to form a new coalition government to carry on peace talks that have so far produced little progress, made a similar warning in August.

Qureia said talks on sensitive final status issues such as the fate of Jerusalem, refugees, and borders have been marred by continued Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank.

The change of government in Israel following the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "makes it difficult for Israel to make decisions under such conditions, and time is running out", he added.

The Palestinians were also unable to make decisions, as their attention was diverted by "internal divisions as a result of Hamas' coup in Gaza, and power struggles", Qureia said.

Israel has said it would not implement any deal it signs with the Palestinians until the government of President Mahmoud Abbas re-establishes control of the Gaza Strip, which the Islamist Hamas group seized in June 2007.

Qureia said Palestinian options include abandoning the proposed two-state deal for a one-state solution absorbing Jews and Arabs into a single country - something few Jews are willing to countenance.

Olmert has proposed a partial deal that would set aside the most intractable issue - divided Jerusalem. Qureia said partial deals only brought disasters in the past.

"We want a detailed, comprehensive accord that would end occupation," he said.

Meanwhile, President Shimon Peres cast strong doubt on Tuesday over whether Israel and the Palestinians could reach a peace deal by the end of the year as hoped.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Peres said there was progress in the talks, which have been stalled by political uncertainty in Israel, but a deal may only be possible over the next year.

"We had hoped to conclude it by the end of the year, apparently we shall not conclude it by the end of the year," said Peres when asked whether the U.S.-mediated Palestinian statehood talks could result in an agreement by year-end.

"I do believe that there remains real progress and there is a very fair chance of concluding it during the next year."

Related articles:
  • Livni, Qureia to brief Rice in Berlin
  • PA negotiator Qureia warns IDF escalation in Gaza will hurt talks
  • Livni and Qureia meet for first discussion of core issues, set up lower-level negotiating teams
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      1.   What a doll this Qureia is: peace or suicide bombings... 18:55  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 23/09/08
      2.   So then fighting "resistance" is a legitimate right too 19:00  |  McQueen 23/09/08
      3.   Warn Qureia he could join Ahmed Yassin if suicide bombings resume 20:06  |  Absolute Sweden 23/09/08
      4.   So the palestinians will continue to murder Civilians 20:13  |  jon 23/09/08
      5.   # 1 Margie, thanks for saving me some time...... 20:39  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/09/08
      6.   #1 Margie 21:07  |  Space 23/09/08
      7.   Lessons learned 21:46  |  Miche Norman 23/09/08
      8.   How dare they resist! 22:03  |  American in Paris 23/09/08
      9.   `Change Parameters` Jews in Israel and Arabs inJordan . 22:32  |  Joseph.E 23/09/08
      10.   IS THIS HOW YOU RESPOND TO THREATS TO KILL YOUR PEOPLE! 22:40  |  Ben S 23/09/08
      11.   Put Kadima On List Of Gov`ts Hosting , Aiding And Financing Terro 22:40  |  Joseph.E 23/09/08
      12.   plus the fact that no matter how many terrorist 22:41  |  nuchem 23/09/08
      13.   Missed Opportunity 22:48  |  Dave Duncan 23/09/08
      14.   how can there be apeace process when there is an interim govt? 22:49  |  victor hardman 23/09/08
      15.   Dino 22:55  |  Joey 23/09/08
      16.   Queira Speaks In Terms Of Absolutism , Arabs Are Despots , 23:13  |  Joseph.E 23/09/08
      17.   Qureia a lousy liar - we under stand him perfectly 00:26  |  Joe Sittizen 24/09/08
      18.   Joseph E.- Mr. Qureia clarified as "political resistance" 00:27  |  Smadar 24/09/08
      19.   Israel to Livni 01:08  |  Gee 24/09/08
      20.   #5 the way the Palestinians are asking it by electing Hamas 02:18  |  McQueen 24/09/08
      21.   # 18 Smadar 02:20  |  Joseph.E 24/09/08
      22.   OY how SCARY!! Tzipeleh is talking "TOUGH!!!" 02:30  |  Dr. Dave 24/09/08
      23.   American in Paris # 8 They Can Resist All They Like 02:31  |  Jeff Northridge 24/09/08
      24.   The US would do better with Livni rather than Biden/Palin 03:12  |  Murray the Mongoose 24/09/08
      25.   The Face of "Negotiating" 03:30  |  FulghumInk 24/09/08
      26.   I really don`t like Israelis politicians . 04:10  |  Joseph.E 24/09/08
      27.   Smadar # 18 Yeah, Clear As A Bell 04:59  |  Jeff Northridge 24/09/08
      28.   Murray the Mongoose # 24 I`ve About Had It With The Whole Lot 05:31  |  Jeff Northridge 24/09/08
      29.   # 25 FulghumInk 05:46  |  Joseph.E 24/09/08
      30.   TO: Joseph (#28 Response) 08:39  |  FulghumInk 24/09/08
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