THE Palestinian National Authority deserves commendation of Arabs and all the right-thinking people of the world for its brave decision to reject US calls for resuming talks with Israel. The US has been dispatching several envoys to the Middle East in a bid to pressure the Palestinian Authority into relaunching talks, but with no success. According to latest reports, US Vice-President Joe Biden and Middle East envoy George Mitchel are due to visit the region next week.

The Arab world has hailed the courageous stance of the PNA which has, in fact, unhinged the US administration as it had been expecting that the PNA would respond positively to its persuasion to come to the negotiating table, never mind the continuing atrocities of Israel against the Palestinians.

In the wake of such savage practices by Israel and relentless US pressure, we confidently and determinedly say: “No return to negotiations with the Israeli enemy unless it halts construction of settlements forthwith and unless it changes its plan to make Al Haram Al Ibrahimi (the Mosque of Abraham) and the Mosque of Bilal in Al Quds as Jewish heritage sites and unless it opens all border crossings.” Israel must take all these measures as basic conditions for resumption of talks.

In all likelihood, Israel will not respond to the Palestinian terms and conditions, especially in the light of the US administration’s refusal to force Israel to halt construction of settlements or the Jewdaisation process in Al Quds and the West Bank.

Palestinian sources have revealed that the PNA has lodged some queries with the US administration and been waiting for its reply for over a month now. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has recently told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that the US cannot guarantee the Israeli consent to set the June 1967 borders as a basis for resuming talks. Instead, according to Hillary, Israel would show signs of its “good intentions” as evidence of its seriousness in resuming negotiations.

It is therefore proposed that Israel would shift some areas to be under the control of the Palestinian Authority, release some Fatah prisoners and suspend military interventions in the West Bank.

The US administration wants Arabs to turn a blind eye to all the provocative steps Israel takes, not least in relation to the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Al Haram Al Ibrahimi Mosque and the Mosque of Bilal. This was amply clear when Hillary Clinton issued a statement warning against any Palestinian steps in retaliation of such Israeli actions.

The Arab stance in favouring negotiations and peace with Israel should not be at the expense of the rights of the Palestinians. The repeated calls from Arab countries for peace even in the face of the Israeli atrocities are viewed by Israel as a sign of Arab weakness. This would only further ratchet up the vile and inhuman Israeli practices.

Therefore, we should not rush into unconditional negotiations. Any future talks should be under the terms and conditions set by the Arabs and not by Israel or the US administration.

emzedjali@timesofoman.com