Speaking Sunday morning, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said that Israel's imposition of another three month building freeze in Judea and Samaria would not prompt the PA to return to the negotiating table. Speaking in an interview with Arab media, Fayyad said that a freeze that did not include Jerusalem “was useless.” Fayyad said that he hoped to declare an independent Palestinian state within two years, if not through negotiations, then through a PA appeal to the UN for recognition of such a state.
In the interview, Fayyad stressed the “right” of PA Arabs to “a popular uprising,” and reiterated the PA's refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. In a separate interview, PA negotiating team head Saeb Erekat said that the U.S. freeze demand would change nothing, and that the PA's only choice was to declare a state and ask for UN recognition.
In the interview, Fayyad stressed the “right” of PA Arabs to “a popular uprising,” and reiterated the PA's refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. In a separate interview, PA negotiating team head Saeb Erekat said that the U.S. freeze demand would change nothing, and that the PA's only choice was to declare a state and ask for UN recognition.