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| Mahmoud Abbas outrages Palestinian refugees by waiving his right to return | Mahmoud Abbas outrages Palestinian refugees by waiving his right to return |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, is facing widespread condemnation and anger in the Palestinian territories and abroad after he publicly waived his right to return to live in the town from which his family was forced to flee in 1948, a repudiation of huge significance for Palestinian refugees. | The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, is facing widespread condemnation and anger in the Palestinian territories and abroad after he publicly waived his right to return to live in the town from which his family was forced to flee in 1948, a repudiation of huge significance for Palestinian refugees. |
| After his image was burned in refugee camps in Gaza, Abbas rejected accusations that he had conceded one of the most emotional and visceral issues on the Palestinian agenda, the demand by millions of refugees to return to their former homes in what is now Israel. | After his image was burned in refugee camps in Gaza, Abbas rejected accusations that he had conceded one of the most emotional and visceral issues on the Palestinian agenda, the demand by millions of refugees to return to their former homes in what is now Israel. |
| He insisted that comments made in an interview with an Israeli television channel were selectively quoted and the remarks were his personal stance, rather than a change of policy. | He insisted that comments made in an interview with an Israeli television channel were selectively quoted and the remarks were his personal stance, rather than a change of policy. |
| Abbas told Channel 2 he accepted he had no right to live in Safed, the town of his birth, from which his family was forced to flee in 1948 when Abbas was 13. | Abbas told Channel 2 he accepted he had no right to live in Safed, the town of his birth, from which his family was forced to flee in 1948 when Abbas was 13. |
| "I visited Safed before once, he said. "But I want to see Safed. It's my right to see it, but not to live there." | "I visited Safed before once, he said. "But I want to see Safed. It's my right to see it, but not to live there." |
| Referring to the internationally-recognised pre-1967 border, he went on: "Palestine now for me is '67 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is now and forever ... This is Palestine for me. I am a refugee, but I am living in Ramallah. I believe that the West Bank and Gaza is Palestine and the other parts are Israel." | Referring to the internationally-recognised pre-1967 border, he went on: "Palestine now for me is '67 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is now and forever ... This is Palestine for me. I am a refugee, but I am living in Ramallah. I believe that the West Bank and Gaza is Palestine and the other parts are Israel." |
| The comments sparked protests in Gaza, where people in refugee camps burned images of the Palestinian president. Abbas was denounced on Twitter by pro-Palestinian activists. | The comments sparked protests in Gaza, where people in refugee camps burned images of the Palestinian president. Abbas was denounced on Twitter by pro-Palestinian activists. |
| Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas ruler in Gaza, said the issue was not about Abbas's right to return to Safed but "the rights of 6 million Palestinians". | Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas ruler in Gaza, said the issue was not about Abbas's right to return to Safed but "the rights of 6 million Palestinians". |
| He said in a statement: "No one has the right, whoever he is – a common man or president, organisation, a government or authority – to give up an inch of Palestinian land." | He said in a statement: "No one has the right, whoever he is – a common man or president, organisation, a government or authority – to give up an inch of Palestinian land." |
| Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the president's statement did "not represent in any way the views of the Palestinian people". | Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the president's statement did "not represent in any way the views of the Palestinian people". |
| The "right of return" is one of the most intractable issues in talks between the Israelis and Palestinians for a resolution to their decades-old conflict. The Palestinians have historically demanded that all those who fled or were expelled from their homes in the period around the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, and their descendants, must be allowed to return to their former homes. | The "right of return" is one of the most intractable issues in talks between the Israelis and Palestinians for a resolution to their decades-old conflict. The Palestinians have historically demanded that all those who fled or were expelled from their homes in the period around the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, and their descendants, must be allowed to return to their former homes. |
| About 5 million Palestinians are registered as refugees in the Palestinian territories and abroad. | About 5 million Palestinians are registered as refugees in the Palestinian territories and abroad. |
| Israel rejects their demand, saying that such a move would spell the end of the Jewish state. | Israel rejects their demand, saying that such a move would spell the end of the Jewish state. |
| Most international diplomats and observers believe that a settlement to the conflict is likely to involve a symbolic number of Palestinian refugees being given the right to return. | Most international diplomats and observers believe that a settlement to the conflict is likely to involve a symbolic number of Palestinian refugees being given the right to return. |
| Following the broadcast of the interview, Israel's president, Shimon Peres, said Abbas's comments were a "brave and important public declaration". In a statement, he said Abbas had shown he was "a real partner for peace" and that he understood "the solution to the Palestinian refugee issue cannot be in Israel's territory and to the detriment of Israel's character". | Following the broadcast of the interview, Israel's president, Shimon Peres, said Abbas's comments were a "brave and important public declaration". In a statement, he said Abbas had shown he was "a real partner for peace" and that he understood "the solution to the Palestinian refugee issue cannot be in Israel's territory and to the detriment of Israel's character". |
| Israel's defence, minister Ehud Barak, described Abbas's remarks as courageous and clear. | Israel's defence, minister Ehud Barak, described Abbas's remarks as courageous and clear. |
| But Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. dismissed the comments, saying that the Palestinian president had different messages for different audiences. "There is no connection between [his] statements and his actual actions," he said, calling for Abbas to return to negotiations. | But Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. dismissed the comments, saying that the Palestinian president had different messages for different audiences. "There is no connection between [his] statements and his actual actions," he said, calling for Abbas to return to negotiations. |
| Palestinian sources played down the row, saying Abbas's comments had been misconstrued. One suggested the president had been ill-prepared for the interview and it had been a mistake to agree to conduct it in English, a language in which Abbas is not fluent. | Palestinian sources played down the row, saying Abbas's comments had been misconstrued. One suggested the president had been ill-prepared for the interview and it had been a mistake to agree to conduct it in English, a language in which Abbas is not fluent. |
| Ghassan Khatib, an academic at Bir Zeit university in the West Bank and a former Palestinian Authority spokesman, said Abbas had not suggested a change in the official position. "This is an optional right. If an individual refugee does not wish to return, he will be free not to return. We all know that all Palestinians are not going to return. Some understand this, some do not." | Ghassan Khatib, an academic at Bir Zeit university in the West Bank and a former Palestinian Authority spokesman, said Abbas had not suggested a change in the official position. "This is an optional right. If an individual refugee does not wish to return, he will be free not to return. We all know that all Palestinians are not going to return. Some understand this, some do not." |
| In the interview, Abbas also said that, while he was president, there would be "no third armed intifada [uprising against Israel]. Never." | In the interview, Abbas also said that, while he was president, there would be "no third armed intifada [uprising against Israel]. Never." |
| He said: "We don't want to use terror. We don't want to use force. We don't want to use weapons. We want to use diplomacy. We want to use politics. We want to use negotiations. We want to use peaceful resistance. That's it." He has said that Palestinian negotiators are willing to resume talks with Israel following the submission of a request, expected later this month, to the UN general assembly for recognition as a "non-member state". | He said: "We don't want to use terror. We don't want to use force. We don't want to use weapons. We want to use diplomacy. We want to use politics. We want to use negotiations. We want to use peaceful resistance. That's it." He has said that Palestinian negotiators are willing to resume talks with Israel following the submission of a request, expected later this month, to the UN general assembly for recognition as a "non-member state". |
| Israel and the US are vehemently opposed to the move, which is expected to be passed by a majority of the UN's 193 member states. | Israel and the US are vehemently opposed to the move, which is expected to be passed by a majority of the UN's 193 member states. |
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