May 31, 2012 (TSR/Xinhua) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday accused Israel of working to change the references of the stalled peace process between the two sides.
Abbas said that Israel “insists” on continuing settlement building in the Palestinian territories, especially the West Bank, and thus changing the references of peace.
Abbas was speaking in a news conference after he met visiting German President Joachim Gauck in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
“Israel systematically changes the features of Jerusalem city, seizes the Palestinian lands there and harasses its population,” Abbas said of the city that the Palestinians want its eastern part as a future capital. Israel says that Jerusalem is its undividable capital.
Differences on settlement activities broke down the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in 2010.
Meanwhile, Gauck said that Germany supports the two-state solution that secures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Gauck added that he asked Israeli officials he met earlier to ” put the settlement issue under control.” He also encouraged Abbas to maintain contacts with Israel.
During his visit, Gauck announced that Germany will present 70 million euros (about 87 million U.S. dollars) for Palestinian security and education programs.
