Fayyad envisions 'state free of settlements'

As Palestinian president travels to Egypt in hopes of restarting peace talks, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad tells conference future Palestinian state will be 'free of fences', says 'it's time for transition period to end'

Ali Waked
YNET News

As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas embarks on his round of talks in Egypt in hopes of finding a basis for the renewal of peace negotiations with Israel, his Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Sunday that the future Palestinian state will be "free of fences and of settlements." In a conference held near Ramallah, Fayyad urged the international community to intervene in order to "force Israel to stop ignoring international law and the Palestinians' rights."


He stressed that "we will not agree to the agreements of the past anymore, it is time for the transition period to come to an end."


Egypt has also spoken out against the possibility of a "transition period". Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who is slated to meet with Abbas on Monday, said in a November meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres: "Egypt objects to the establishment of a Palestinian state in temporary borders. A just, permanent settlement must be reached and it must be executed in a clear and agreed upon timeframe."


In the meantime, Abbas is meeting with Egyptian Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman in Sharm el-Sheik. The Palestinian president is slated to discuss with Suleiman the efforts Cairo is investing in the renewal of the peace process.


He is also expected to discuss with Mubarak the American-Egyptian efforts to resume negotiations based on understandings that a Palestinian state will be established in the 1967 borders.


Recent weeks have seen several reports of the impending renewal of talks between Israel and the Palestinians. On Friday, Reuters reported that, according to Israeli sources, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed in his meeting with Mubarak last week to hold a summit with Abbas in hopes of renewing negotiations.


Earlier, Palestinian sources said, in light of the Mubarak-Netanyahu meeting, that "dramatic developments" could be expected in the coming weeks.


Ynet has learned that the Palestinians will be working to garner Arab support in the coming weeks of a formula for the renewal of negotiations with Israel.


According to estimates, the Palestinians, together with Arab states that support the peace process, will seek support for the renewal of talks, as well as for understandings to be reached in the Arab summit to take place in Cairo in March.