Netanyahu’s speech at UN is elusive

Secretary of the PLO Executive Committee, Yasser Abed Rabbo, Saturday said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly was dishonest, selective and elusive. He said to Voice of Palestine that Netanyahu’s speech was an attempt to evade Israel’s false claims of its desire to resume negotiations with the Palestinians. Abed Rabbo criticized Hamas’ position regarding President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech, saying that “its statements match Netanyahu’s, which question the Palestinian Authority’s position.” He called on Hamas to support the PA and put the Palestinian peoples’ interests higher than any personal narrow ones. He said that Abbas’ speech at the UN was the beginning of new political phase to recognize Palestine as a state and Palestinians as people who have inalienable rights. “Abbas’ speech put an end to the useless negotiations and inaugurated the beginning of a political process to end Israeli violations against Palestinians,” he said. He said that the UN Security Council might take some time to study the membership requet but the Palestinians will not accept any attempts to delay it. Abed Rabbo said the PA will wait for the Israeli response to the quartet statement before deciding on the next step.