Erekat: Abbas to meet Clinton, Hollande in Paris

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Erekat: Abbas to meet Clinton, Hollande in Paris

Published Wednesday 04/07/2012 (updated) 05/07/2012 22:13

Erekat said Abbas will stress the importance of releasing Palestinians jailed
in Israel in meetings with world leaders later this week. (Reuters/File)

JERICHO (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and the French President Francois Hollande this week to discuss the release of Palestinian prisoners, a PLO official said Wednesday.

Saeb Erekat said Abbas will also meet EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, and the British, German and Norwegian foreign ministers during his two-day trip to Paris, where world diplomats are gathered for a "Friends of Syria" meeting.

The summit is a bid by world leaders to bridge Arab and Western positions over the conflict in Syria, although Russia -- which says the group is biased in favor of opposition to President Bashar Assad -- has said it will not attend.

Erekat said Abbas will stress the importance of releasing Palestinians jailed in Israel when he meets with the leaders, according to a statement from his office.

A presidential spokesman said last month that Abbas will only meet with Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu if Israel agrees to free seriously ill prisoners, and those detained prior to the Oslo accords.

Negotiations have been frozen since September 2010, when Netanyahu refused to extend a partial freeze on illegal settlement building.

1 ) AKeenReader / UK

04/07/2012 16:58

Waste of time discussing issues with Clinton, the Israeli agent. It's time that Palestinians look towards other five permanet members of UN. By now the world nows whose side US is in respect of Palestinian UN bid and for their welfare. The US expects the world to come to halt just becuase of their elections. They should be told to get lost!

2 ) shirley / australia

04/07/2012 17:39

these 2 stooges cant stay away from the vampire kill alal clinton not aday goes by without one ofd the in meetings with US its sickening and so called resistence what now anothe Jew zionist in power in fgrance and US lackey goes back on his word to recognize pal state afraid of his US mafia boss and ABBASS waitjing for next sheme cooked up by US and EU to make pals except talks sso obvious EREKET just spent weeks in new york with Clinton next ofaz meeting and fake amo requests

3 ) Mel / USA

04/07/2012 18:32

'Friends of Syria'??U have to be kidding?That's like Hitler holding a "Friends of Jews"meeting!These"b-leeders" did/said f**k all,when Assad was hosting USG/UKG's EXTRAORDINARY-RENDITION(kidnapping)&TORTURE(inhuman)dirty-work(corruption),along with other 'black-site'dictatorships like Israel! 'Friends of Syria' means"Enemies of Shiites(Iran)",using Sunni-Arab proxies as USG/Zionist cannon-fodder,against their OWN Muslim brothers/sisters,&Russia,AGAIN,to pull a coup onShiites!Clinton=Zionism.BAD!

4 ) Claire of Jerusalem / England

04/07/2012 20:45

I wonder why Israel don't comply with UN resolution if it was another country what will happen??? I don't understand why the world is so afraid of Israel. I am not against Israel, they have the right to live side by side with its neighbour, but they have to give the right to the Palestinians to live in peace in their State and not rob their lands. Also the children of the Palestinians must live with the same standard and life style like the Israeli children, education etc. and compensate the P

5 ) some one / some where

04/07/2012 21:53

2 ) shirley
write so other people can read
go back read what you wrote

6 ) outlier / USA

04/07/2012 23:42

One more delay in the inevitable route to nationhood - negotiations with Israel.

7 ) southparkbear / usa

05/07/2012 03:23

it's about time to have a break through. Abbass has been staying in the west bank for almost a week now. that is worst then israeli detention

8 ) Big / Baby

05/07/2012 05:37

Abbas: "Get me what I want, or I won't even talk to Israel," and someone should tell him that IT IS TIME TO GROW UP, to Negotiate, Compromise, and Yes, Even Surrender, FOR THE WELFARE OF YOUR PEOPLE & THEIR STATE.

9 ) Clinton Knows what / Abbas Knows and

05/07/2012 16:30

ABBAS knows he CAN NOT WIN now, so his strategy is just not to lose, and
Abbas knows that:
- FIGHTING WITH ISRAEL MEANS LOSING TO ISRAEL, and
- NEGOTIATING WITH ISRAEL MEANS LOSING TO ISRAEL, so
- THE ABBAS STRATEGY IS TO WAIT, whether that waiting must
continue for another 5 months, 5 years, 5 decades, and then at least
it will be some other Palestinian leader, that will have to lose to Israel !!!

10 ) Filipe / Portugal

05/07/2012 18:14

1) AKEENREADER-exactly who are "other five permanet members of UN", you appear to be extremely confused.
2) Shirley- if you are going to attempt to communicate in English, please take some refresher courses so that the people who are reading your posts can have a better chance to understand what you are trying to say.
3) Mel- if you have such a big problem with your country's position in world affairs- feel freel to seek living arrangements in a location more in line with your life philosophy

11 ) Then, Now, & / The Future

05/07/2012 19:16

1- Yes, the Oslo Accords were a bad deal THEN, but it was the best deal
the PLO could get, given the reality of their circumstances in exile, and

2- Yes, the Negotiations are a bad deal NOW, but again it is the best deal
the PA can get, given the reality of our weakness under occupation, and

3- Yes, the bad deal now will only continue to worsen in THE FUTURE,
as they settlements continue to expand across Palestinian claimed lands !!!

12 ) @ Claire-4 / NO, YES, & NO

05/07/2012 19:30

1- NO, Israel didn't "rob Palestinian lands", since before 1967 the Land was part of Jordan. Then Jordan started a war, and lost the Land to Israel.
2- YES, "Palestinians have a right to live in peace", the same right they have constantly denied to Israelis. And,
3- NO, "Palestinians must live with the standard and life style",
that their government can provide for them, like any other state,
which need not "like the Israeli government" provides for Israelis !!!

13 ) Lukas / AntiZionist

06/07/2012 11:33

# 12: what a preposterous statement. Typical hasbara fantasy.