President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Hamas of conniving with Israel as they secretly discuss what the Palestinian Authorities call “a project of state in temporary borders” within the Gaza Strip despite Palestinians vowing to agree only to a deal that includes the pre-1967 borders and Jerusalem as capital. Abbas hinted that the Palestinian National Administration will be filing criminal cases accusing Israel of illegal settlements and aggression as soon as investigations are complete.
The Palestinian Authorities claimed that separate negotiations between Hamas and Tel Aviv circles around “an Israeli project” which will make the Gaza Strip an independent state that will lead to a partial withdrawal of Israel in the West Bank but it will still control areas that it considers to be within its borders. Abbas lamented that the project does not involve “the issues of Jerusalem and refugees” which have remained to be important matters in discussions between Israel and Palestinian Authorities.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authorities are against the dialogue and have stated they will go ahead with the filing criminal charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Abbas said it will be done “as soon as we finish the study, as soon as the documents are ready.” He said that a serious study was needed before going to the ICC because they want to begin the case after a full study and an in-depth investigation of political, legal, diplomatic and other aspects. No deadline has been set but Abbas hinted that the preparations are oriented towards “two fundamental cases in regard to Israel’s settlement activity and aggression against the Palestinian people that is an everyday occasion.”
Abbas is currently in Russia where he will meet with government officials. Moscow recognizes the State of Palestine.
