Saeb Erekat
Saeb ErekatAbir Sultan/Flash 90

Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) chief negotiator, is hoping that in the upcoming elections Israelis will choose a leader who will accept the “two-state solution”.

Erekat, who spoke on Tuesday with reporters near Bethlehem, said, according to Kol Yisrael radio, that the Palestinian Arabs wish for the citizens of Israel to elect a partner for peace. He added that he does not care who is elected, so long as it is someone who accepts the two-state solution and agrees to stop construction in the “settlements”.

"This is the year of election for the Israelis, who have to decide whether they want to be partners or occupiers,” he said, as quoted by Yedioth Ahronoth.

"It's time for Israelis to vote and I hope they will not choose settlements but peace," Erekat stressed. "We want the Israelis to elect a partner who will make peace with us and recognize the two-state solution."

Erekat was speaking at the same gathering of journalists in which he indicated that the PA is seeking a UN resolution by year end that would set a timetable for Israel's withdrawal Judea and Samaria.

He expressed his hope that no member of the Security Council vetoes the resolution if adopted, hinting at the United States which has vetoed similar resolutions in the past, and made it clear that if the resolution is vetoed, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will the same day join 22 international conventions including the Rome Statute, which opens the door for the PA to join the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

"In 2015, anyone who commits crimes in Israel will have to account for it," Erekat declared, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The comments come one day after the PA became an observer at the summit meeting of the 122 countries that are members of the International Criminal Court, a move which some say is a step toward joining the world's permanent war crimes tribunal.

Despite the constant threats to turn to the ICC, PA officials realize that doing so is a calculated risk because it would give Israel a forum to pursue war crimes charges against the PA as well and particularly against Hamas.

In a recent interview, the PA's envoy to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) admitted the PA has no hope of pressing charges against Israel in international courts - because Palestinian Arab terrorist groups are far worse violators of international law themselves.