DOHA (Reuters) – The Palestinian leader said on Saturday there were “no shared foundations” for peace talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and seeking UN recognition of Palestinian statehood was his only option.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing an Arab League meeting in Doha, expressed concern that taking the diplomatic step opposed by the United States and Israel could result in financial sanctions and urged Arab states to fill any gap.
While he left room for a compromise, saying a resumption of peace talks on terms acceptable to the Palestinians would avoid the UN move, the remarks were some of Abbas’ bleakest yet on the likelihood of more negotiations.
Abbas was speaking at a meeting of the Arab League’s peace process committee convened in the wake of major Middle East policy speeches in Washington by US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu.