Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas responded on Sunday to Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s letter to the International Quartet, in which he called for Abbas to be replaced.

Lieberman “doesn’t deserve an answer”, Abbas told an Army Radio reporter on the sidelines of a meeting with members of the Meretz party in Ramallah. He then added, “When he talks about the use of diplomatic terror he does not deserve anything. Everyone knows that we want peace between the two states, and for them to live and stability and security.”

Lieberman wrote in his letter to the European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton that Abbas is an obstacle to peace and does not act in the interests of his own people.

Lieberman also wrote that Abbas should be replaced because he "apparently is uninterested or unable... to reach an agreement which would bring an end to the conflict." 

The Foreign Minister called for new Palestinian Authority elections, which have been held only once. He also told Ashton that instead of taking positive steps toward speaking with Israel, “He is creating a culture of blaming Israel for delaying the [peace] process, while attempting to achieve advantages without negotiation via blackmailing and ongoing to attempts to internationalize the conflict.”

Lieberman also responded on Sunday evening to Abbas’ remarks. His spokesman told Army Radio, “Abbas is busy financing and glorifying terrorists and devotes all his time to political terrorism against Israel.”

Meanwhile, Abbas’ legal adviser said on Sunday that the PA is considering a new tactic to win international sympathy – filing suits in several countries alleging Israelis practice “terror,” particularly Lieberman.