Abbas: Jewish state is red line for Palestinians

Abbas rejects US plan for permanent Israel troop presence
Published yesterday (updated) 13/12/2013 19:10

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=656916

RAMALLAH (AFP) — President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected US proposals for
Israel to keep troops in a future Palestinian state along its border with
Jordan, a Palestinian source said on Friday.

Following a meeting on Thursday evening with US Secretary of State John
Kerry in the West Bank city of Ramallah, “President Abbas has rejected the
ideas presented by the secretary of state”, the source said.

Abbas also gave Kerry a letter on “Palestinian red lines,” the source added,
singling out “the refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.”

Abbas “rejected the ideas on security because there is not a third party.”

This refers to a plan by former US national security adviser James Jones
under which a third party would deploy along the Palestinian-Jordanian
border.

The Palestinian source said that “all disputed issues must be settled.”

Israeli and Arab media reports say the plan envisaged by Washington would
see Israel maintain a military presence on the border after a peace
agreement with the Palestinians.

An international force would be acceptable to the Palestinians, but Israel
opposes such a solution.

Abbas’ comments were made public as Kerry met Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem in his latest attempt at promoting an
elusive Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

In early December, Israel’s deputy defense minister ruled out any compromise
on security in the Jordan Valley.

“From the Israeli point of view, there will not be any Palestinian presence
at the crossing points,” said Danny Danon, who is a radical member of
Netanyahu’s rightwing Likud party.

“An Israeli civilian and military presence in the Jordan Valley is
essential.”

Over 94 percent of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea area is prohibited for
Palestinian use, with the land either declared a closed military zone or
reserved for illegal Israeli settlements.

The Jordan Valley forms over 30 percent of the occupied West Bank.

Ma’an staff contributed to this report