Israel [2]i Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday reacted coolly to statements made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Israel's Channel 2, in which he said as long as he remains in power he will not allow a third intifada to break out.
A statement issued by Netanyahu's office denounced the Palestinian president for refusing to restart negotiations, saying that his words do not match his actions.
"Regarding Abu Mazen's statements, there is no connection between the Palestinian (National) Authority chairman's statements and his actual actions," said the statement, referring to Abbas' nickname in Arabic.
In an interview with Israel's Channel 2 on Friday, Abbas denounced all kinds of terrorist acts and violence, stressing that there will not be another intifada (violent rising) and the Palestinians are striving for a peaceful, diplomatic solution.
He also reiterated the PNA's commitment to the two-state solution according to the 1967 lines. "Palestine [3] for me is the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. This is Palestine. I am a refugee. I live in Ramallah, the West Bank, and Gaza is Palestine, everything else is Israel," he said.
However, the Israeli prime minister's office said in the statement that Abbas "has been refusing to renew the negotiations with Israel for the past four years, despite a series of steps undertaken by Prime Minister Netanyahu aimed at renewing the negotiations, such as an unprecedented freeze on settlement construction."
It also said Abbas "refuses to discuss security arrangements required to defend Israeli citizens."
The direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians came to a halt in October 2010, after Israel refused to extend a freeze on the settlement construction in the territories it occupied during the 1967 war.
Meanwhile, the statement said Netanyahu's offer to meet with Abbas "without preconditions" still stands.
In contrast with the prime minister's cool reaction, Israeli President Shimon Peres on Saturday praised Abbas' statements as " of great importance."
"His courageous words prove that Abu Mazen is a real partner for peace," Peres said.
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