Ramallah, Nov 22 (IANS) A senior Palestinian official said that Palestine has proposed to exclude the US from the Middle East Quartet to advance the stalled peace talks with Israel.
“Palestine proposed to Russia, the European Union, and the UN to hold a meeting, with the participation of other states but without the US, to discuss convening an international peace conference,” Azzam el-Ahmad, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee, told official Voice of Palestine radio on Saturday.
The current Middle East Quartet, with the mandate to facilitate the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, comprises the US, Russia, the European Union and the UN, reports Xinhua news agency.
However, el-Ahmad noted, Washington’s role in the Quartet could be reactivated after US President-elect Joe Biden administration takes office, depending on its support of the two-state solution.
“There is no alternative to the two-state solution,” he said.
“Implementing this vision requires fulfilling the legitimate rights of the Palestinians and establishing an independent state on 1967 borders.”
–IANS
ksk/