UN's Ban calls on Palestinian parties to seek two-state solution

UN's Ban calls on Palestinian parties to seek two-state solution

2011-05-04 21:30:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday strongly appealed to all Palestinian parties to commit to the principles of the diplomatic Quartet, which seeks to have two States – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders.

Ban appealed for the two-state solution ahead of Wednesday's scheduled signing in Cairo, Egypt of a unity agreement between rivals Hamas and Fatah, after representatives of the two groups announced that they had struck a deal last week. The agreement was carried out under the auspices of Egypt and established the formation of a national unity government and hold elections within a year.

Hamas, which does not recognize Israel's right to exist, took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 after ousting the Fatah party of the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that controls parts of the West Bank.

On Tuesday night, Ban expressed support for efforts for unity and the work of Egypt and Abbas in this regard, wishing to see unity in the framework of the positions of the Quartet and the commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Arab Peace Initiative.

In addition, the Secretary-General strongly appealed to all Palestinian parties to commit to those principles.

Under the Road Map peace plan endorsed by the Quartet – comprising the UN, European Union, Russia and the United States – Israel and an independent State of Palestine established on territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War would live side by side in peace and security within recognized borders.

Ban sent the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, to the Egyptian capital for Wednesday's signing.

Last week, Serry said reconciliation between the two main Palestinian factions was essential for achieving a two-state solution and should take place in a manner that promotes the cause of peace.

Talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians have been stalled since late September following Israel's refusal to extend a 10-month freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory. That decision prompted Abbas to withdraw from direct talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which had only resumed a few weeks earlier after a two-year hiatus.

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