WarSclerotic

Abbas pledges to promote Palestinian rights in talks with Israel, Xinhua Net, March 20, 2014

(Failure in the peace talks would damage whatever remains of President Obama’s foreign policy legacy. However, an Obama success would be far worse for Israel than any damage to his legacy resulting from failure.– DM)

“Obama focused on extending the talks instead of focusing on the U.S. framework peace agreement,” said the official, adding “it was obvious that Obama was concerned about avoiding any American failure in the peace talks.”

RAMALLAH, March 20 (Xinhua) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that he will advocate Palestinian rights during negotiations with Israel, as the United States urges Palestinians to extend the peace talks.

“I will not give away the Palestinian rights,” Abbas told hundreds of loyalists at his office upon his arrival in Ramallah after a four-day visit to Washington to discuss the Israeli- Palestinian peace negotiations with President Barack Obama.

Earlier, a Palestinian official source told Xinhua that the discussions between Abbas and Obama were difficult and not decisive, adding no agreement has been reached on the American framework for the peace deal or on extending the peace talks with Israel.

“Obama focused on extending the talks instead of focusing on the U.S. framework peace agreement,” said the official, adding “it was obvious that Obama was concerned about avoiding any American failure in the peace talks.”

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Abbas asked Obama to press Israel to release prisoners its jails and freeze settlement activities in order to extend the current peace talks, demands that many Palestinians consider essential for finding peace.

Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians resumed last July and are set to end in April, but both Israeli and Palestinian officials have said no tangible progress has been made during negotiations.

Since the resumption of the peace negotiations, the U.S. has been leading mediation efforts to get the Palestinians and the Israelis to agree on a framework plan for peace.

The U.S. peace plan tackles final status issues including the borders of the future Palestinian state, Palestinian refugees, security and the contested status of Jerusalem, claimed by both as their capital.

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