Abbas calls to stop operating in settlements

President Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday called European companies and other foreign companies operating in Israeli settlements to stop working there because it is a violation of international law. During a press conference with president of the European council Herman Van Rompuy in Brussels, Abbas stressed the importance of implementing EU settlement procedures as scheduled at the beginning of 2014. He stressed that this call is not made against Israel, saying: \"we want to live next to Israel and build bridges for peace with it---this call is made against Israeli settlements built illegally on the Palestinian occupied land.\" Abbas said that he highly appreciates the EU\'s political positions, its statements and decisions in consistence with international law and legitimacy regarding settlements, in addition to its positions regarding Israel\'s measures in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. Abbas expressed deep and sincere appreciation for EU\'s all forms of political and economic support in order to build and develop the institutions and infrastructure of the state of Palestine. Regarding the ongoing negotiations with the Israeli side, Abbas said that despite all obstacles that hinder our way due the Israeli authorities\' policies on the ground, settlers\' measures, in addition to the strangulation of the Palestinian economy, \"which we call them to stop\", we will continue to commit to the timetable set by the U.S. secretary of state, John Kerry, for negotiations for a period of nine months. \"We are working with U.S. president Barrack Obama and Kerry in order to insure the success of negotiations and reach the desired peace that will guarantee the rights of the Palestinian people and embody the two-state-solution on the ground, which if failed, will have serious consequences on peace and stability in the region and in the world,\" said Abbas. Source: WAFA