Palestinian opposition factions on Monday rejected the resumption of the U.S.-sponsored indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), saying the talks will be a great failure and will never succeed.
The left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of "exclusivity in the decision-making, mainly those related to major Palestinian issues," adding talks can never be renewed while Israel continues its settlement activities and rejects the peace principles.
"The decision to resume the negotiations, even indirectly, is a disregard of the national Palestinian principles and represents the logic of exclusivity," said the PFLP.
On Sunday, the executive committee of the PLO chaired by Abbas okayed a U.S. proposal backed by the Arab League to start indirect negotiations to discuss the issues of the future Palestinian statehood and agree on going for direct talks according to a specific timetable.
The PFLP, which attended the meeting in Ramallah, said in a leaflet sent to reporters that the Palestinian people "are asked to be united in order to stop the absurd negotiations," adding " Israel and its allies are the only ones who are getting benefits out of resuming such kind of odd talks."
Another left-wing group, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), which also attended the PLO meeting on Sunday, said in a leaflet sent to reporters that "going ahead with the negotiations will not bring any hope to the Palestinian people."
"The talks can never be resumed while the right-wing Israeli government is destroying the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace by going on with its policy of Judaizing Jerusalem and building settlements, which are obstacles to achieving peace," said the DFLP.
The group called for forming "a highest national committee" to rule the whole political process, adding "the Palestinians should insist on the principle of not resuming any direct or indirect peace talk before Israel halts all settlement activities in the West Bank and Jerusalem."
Before accepting the U.S. proposal to start indirect negotiations with Israel, Abbas and the PNA were insisting that they won't resume any talk with Israel, until the latter completely halts settlement activities in the West Bank and in the occupied East Jerusalem. The talks had totally stopped since December 2008.
Meanwhile, the People's Party, a left-wing moderate group, said "without achieving the legal Palestinian demands related to halting Jewish settlement activities and recognizing the international resolutions, Israel would keep imposing facts on the ground."
"Linking the indirect talks with Israel's acceptance of the Palestinian demands will increase the concerns of turning the talks into partial talks on partial issues," said the group, adding "the U.S. insistence to resume the talks without guarantees means that it gives priority to just resume the process."
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF) said in a leaflet that resuming the indirect peace negotiations without any guarantee "would lead to a great national loss," adding "these talks would block an internal Palestinian reconciliation."
However, Fatah, the biggest faction in the PLO, presented a proposal on forming a national follow-up committee for the negotiations that includes five Fatah central committee members, leaders of other factions and independent figures.
Fatah plan calls for full coordination with all Palestinian powers to make a unified decision related to the talks. The plan said the Palestinians this time will negotiate with the U.S., not Israel, adding "in case the indirect talks didn't achieve anything, there are so many other options available."
Besides the PLO left-wing opposition groups, Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, said in a press statement that the PLO acceptance of indirect negotiations "is a danger which would end the international isolation of Israel for the crimes it committed against the Palestinians."
"Fatah movement and other factions in the PLO are demanded to give priority to the Palestinian reconciliation and empowering the internal Palestinian front, not to give priority to getting close to the occupation on the expense of the highest interests of our people," said the statement.
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