by Samir Barhoum | Jul 21, 2013 | JORDAN TIMES

RAMALLAH — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed that the road to establishing a viable Palestinian state lies in peaceful negotiations, but without ruling out other options to regain Palestinian rights.

He said other options include peaceful resistance to Israeli occupation and discriminatory practices against the Palestinian people as well as resorting to world bodies and international covenants, an option that “was already agreed with Hamas leadership”, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since 2006, last year in Doha.

But Abbas expressed optimism that ongoing efforts to relaunch the stalled Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations would bear fruit, noting that US Secretary of State John Kerry is carrying out an active role in attempts to reinvigorate the process.

In an interview with The Jordan Times and Al Rai in his office in Ramallah, the Palestinian leader said that he was awaiting a response from the American side on the basis for resuming peace negotiations by the end of the week.

Abbas was speaking at his Ramallah office on Thursday following lengthy talks with Kerry.

“We are confident that the US, under the leadership of President Barack Obama and with the efforts of Kerry, is keen to find a peaceful solution,” the Palestinian leader said, noting that there are outstanding issues that need to be tackled before the talks resume.

“We hope that within a week we will have a response from Kerry on key issues so we can resume the talks,” he said.

Abbas stressed that the Israelis have to recognise that the basis for resuming negotiations should be the 1967 borders with minor changes to be agreed up between the two sides.

East Jerusalem will be the capital of this state, he stressed.

read more HERE: http://jordantimes.com/outstanding-issues-need-to-be-tackled-before-peace-talks-resume—-abbas