Palestinians demand Israel and U.S. to set borders

Palestinians demand Israel and U.S. to set borders

2010-10-14 00:07:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (BNO NEWS) -- Palestinians are demanding for the U.S. and Israel to trace out a map with detailed border lines in order to determine whether it covers Palestinian territory and homes, officials said Wednesday.

Yasser Abed Rabbo of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) expressed the Palestenians' demand following the U.S. State Department's request that the they extend a counter-proposal to Israel's call for recognition as a "Jewish state."

This would be done in exchange for a possible extension of restrictions on settlement building.

"We officially demand that the US administration and the Israeli government provide a map of the borders of the state of Israel which they want us to recognise," Rabbo said, asking whether the 1967 borders include Palestinian land and homes as it was in that year when Israel captured the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

"If this map is based on the 1967 borders and provides for the end of the Israeli occupation over all Palestinian lands... then we recognise Israel by whatever name it applies to itself in accordance with international law," he said, stating that they were awaiting for a response from Israel and the U.S.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated to be "convinced" that both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mamoud Abbas "very much see it as in their respective interest to return to and proceed with direct negotiations."

While Israel has refused to withdraw from occupied territory, the Palestinians have refused to to recognize it as a Jewish state as around 20 percent of the country is made up of Arabs.

Furthermore, as the U.S. has been pushing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Abbas has refused further negotiations while Israeli settlement construction continues.

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