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A CONVERSATION WITH MAHMOUD ABBAS

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In principle, this is the right direction. The Palestinians should have their own part and the Israelis should have their own part. . . . I say and have always said that East Jerusalem is an occupied territory. We have to restore it.

Israelis are firm that they cannot accept the right of return [for Palestinian refugees] to Israel. . . . Do you think Palestinians should be allowed to return? You were born in the Galilee. Do you want to go back there?

This is my right, but how I will use this right is up to me and to the refugees and to the agreement which will take place between us. We want to find a permanent solution. The Israelis want security, and we are in need of independence. How can we deal with these two pillars? There is a gap between the two sides. We want to bridge the gap during the negotiations.

The Israelis thought they were doing a good thing when they withdrew from Gaza [in July 2005], but now they have been forced to evacuate a town near Gaza [because it has been repeatedly shelled by rockets from Hamas].

They did it unilaterally. They didn't do it bilaterally with us. We asked them many times to make [the Gaza withdrawal] the result of an agreement between us. But [former Israeli prime minister Ariel] Sharon refused. He didn't want to talk to us. . . .

But will Israelis agree to go to final-status talks when they are constantly threatened with attacks on their cities?

Last night, [our security forces] seized two rockets. We handed [them] over to the Israelis. We are very worried about these deeds and I think we can put an end to all this. Our security apparatus is ready to stop all kinds of violence.

Under what conditions would you make another agreement with Hamas?

They committed a fatal mistake when they launched their coup d'etat against the [Palestinian] Authority in Gaza. Now they should rescind their coup d'etat. Without this, we are not going to start any dialogue.

What do you mean by "rescind their coup d'etat"?

To restore the situation as it was prior to the coup.


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