Former Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat told a conference in Tel Aviv Monday there is “no peace partner today in Israel” that can work together with the PA. Erekat, currently a member of the Fatah faction's Central Committee, spoke at a conference of the Geneva Initiative.
The conference was held to address the current political situation from a “Palestinian, Israeli and international perspective,” according to the Geneva Accord organization's website. Other speakers included former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and the organization's chairman, Yossi Beilin.
“The negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians are over,” Erekat told conference attendees bluntly. “I'm tired of the Israelis ignoring me,” he claimed. “I'm tired of people trying to dictate to me what is good and what is not.”
Erekat, who served as the PA's chief negotiator for years, resigned that post in February over a scandal involving leaks of PA government documents.
Nevertheless, he has retained his position within the faction and continues to wield considerable influence in the PA government as well.