Palestinian Authority to stop cooperating with Mideast Quartet

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is to stop cooperating with the so-called Quartet on the Middle East — which seeks to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — after accusing it of bias in favor of Israel.

The London-based daily Al-Hayat on Tuesday cited a senior PA official as making the announcement.

Mohammad Shtayyeh said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had taken the decision following a Friday report issued by the Quartet, which comprises the United Nations (UN), the US, Russia, and the European Union (EU).

The Quartet report referred to “Palestinian violence and incitement” as a more important catalyst to the perpetuation of the conflict than Israel’s settlement activities.

Shtayyeh said the US is dominating the Quartet and the recent report has American fingerprints all over it.

The remarks came as the occupied Palestinian territories continue to be the scene of heightened tensions since August 2015, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) in an alleged bid to change the status quo of the holy Muslim site.

Nearly 220 Palestinians have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces in what is regarded as the third Palestinian Intifada (uprising) since the beginning of last October.

“The UN is powerless and the EU does not speak in one voice. Russia is a friend of the Palestinians, but many times it concludes deals with the US that affect the entire region,” Shtayyeh said.

He further complained that, “The report only discussed the goals, not the reasons. The first reason for the failure of the peace negotiations is the settlements…”

“Thus, if any party wants to reinvigorate peace talks, it must face the truth and suggest a way to talk about how and when the occupation will end.”

Over half a million Israelis live in more than 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank, including East al-Quds. The settlements are considered by the international community as illegal.

Meanwhile, June Peace Index, a polling institute, released the results of a survey of Israeli respondents, showing that the majority of them were in favor of controlling the West Bank.

Shtayyeh, however, said the PA will work with each member of the Quartet “separately.”

A day after the issuance of the report, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) likewise censured it and called it tipped in Tel Aviv’s favor. OIC Secretary General Iyad bin Amin Madani described the Quartet report as flawed, saying it “lacks objectivity.”

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