Abbas: Civil war destroys statehood dreams

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said today he will not allow internal fighting to continue and called on Palestinian factions to respect each other.

Abbas was speaking at a rally marking the 42nd anniversary of the founding of the Fatah movement he heads.

Thousands of Fatah supporters, waving the movement’s yellow flags, crowded into Abbas walled headquarters in the west Bank city of Ramallah.

“The priority for me is preserving national unity and preventing and prohibiting internal fighting,” Abbas told the crowd. “Palestinian blood is a red line.”

He began his speech by admonishing the crowd, saying he had heard shots fired in the air in the run-up to the rally.

He said no one should shoot in the air.

“Shooting at your brother is also forbidden,” he said, referring to several weeks of internal fighting between Hamas and Fatah that have killed 35 people.

Abbas did not say how he would stop the bloodshed.

Abbas’ aides have said he would resume coalition talks with Hamas, despite the bloodshed and rancour between the two sides.

A top Abbas aide, Rafiq Husseini, said talks would begin soon, but that Abbas would go ahead with his plan of calling early elections if no agreement was reached after two weeks of talks.

Abbas reiterated that the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which he heads, is responsible for negotiations with Israel.

Outlining his positions in possible future talks with Israel, he said he will not accept the formation of a Palestinian state in provisional borders, as was proposed last month by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in a private initiative.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the idea is a “non-starter”.