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Palestine to negotiate with Israel only if it freezes annexation, says ambassador

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 17 it was time to annex some of the Palestinian territories on the West Bank, later, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestine was terminating all agreements with Israel and the US

Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, June 18./TASS/. Talks between Palestine and Israel are possible only if Israel freezes the process to annex parts of the West Bank, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal told an online conference on Thursday.

"In spite of all the difficulties, we are eager to continue the political process of the settlement, but I openly say that the negotiations are possible only if Israel freezes the process of annexation," the diplomat said. "We won’t accept individual auspices of the US any longer. I hope that the Middle East Quartet (Russia, the US, the European Union and the United Nations) will assume the mediatory role, we are ready for such process of negotiations," the diplomat stressed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 17 it was time to annex some of the Palestinian territories on the West Bank. Two days later, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestine was terminating all agreements with Israel and the United States and stressed that Israel must be held responsible for attempts to annex occupied Palestinian territories.

On May 25, Netanyahu confirmed that he intended to take steps to annex parts of the West Bank in July.

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