Palestinian leader warns of settlement 'time bomb'

First Published: 2010-11-30

Abbas: Israeli settlements could destroy everything accomplished on road to peace at any moment.

Middle East Online

'End to the vicious Israeli settlement campaign' UNITED NATIONS - Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas warned Monday that Israel's settlement of occupied territories has become "a time bomb" that could destroy peace hopes at any moment. And UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a message to mark an international day for Palestinians that there was little sign of optimism by Palestinians or Israelis that a peace accord could be achieved soon. US-brokered peace talks have been deadlocked for more than two months since Israel ended a moratorium on settlements in Palestinian territories. In a special message read at the UN headquarters, Abbas said "the deterioration in the peace process must be addressed." "This requires bringing a decisive and final end to the vicious Israeli settlement campaign," he added. The settlement "constitutes a time bomb that could destroy everything we have accomplished on the road to peace at any moment." Israel's construction in East Jerusalem and the other occupied territories was the focus of an annual debate at the UN General Assembly in which Arab nations and the Non-Aligned Movement condemn Israel. Israel's UN envoy Meron Reuben criticized what he called the "destructive rhetoric" that he said marked the debate each year. "It takes two to tango, Israel cannot reach this peace on its own," Reuben told the assembly, reaffirming Israel's calls for negotiations without conditions. "We can only achieve peace with the Palestinians through compromise and direct and bilateral negotiations," he said. "We can only move forward through bilateral negotiations that address the concerns of both sides." The United States has offered Israel a major package of incentives to start a new suspension. Israel has not yet given a formal response. Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to set a target date of an accord within a year when they started the latest talks in early September. In his message, the UN leader said there was "little optimism" on either side that peace could be achieved soon. Ban again urged Israel to halt the settlement building which he called "a serious blow to the credibility of the political process." The Palestinian side, he added, "must continue to roll out the institutions of statehood, combat terrorist attacks and curb incitement." The UN General Assembly is to vote Tuesday on the Middle East resolutions.