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Barack Obama

GAZA – Palestinian political and popular powers and factions on Sunday called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to surrender to any pressure exerted on him during his meeting with US President Barack Obama scheduled in the White House on Monday.

Representatives and spokesmen of various opposition factions to the Middle East peace process, including Gaza-ruling Islamic Hamas movement told Xinhua in separate interviews that the continuation of the US sponsored peace talks “are very dangerous on our cause and on our people.”

They called on Abbas not to surrender to Obama’s pressure if the latter asks Abbas to extend the nine-month ultimatum for the end of the Israeli-Palestinian direct peace negotiations, which began last July and are scheduled to end in April.

Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza said that his movement wishes that Abbas would inform President Obama that the Palestinians are withdrawing from these absurd peace negotiations. He accused the United States for being completely biased to Israel.

Abbas, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, is scheduled to hold talks with Obama in the White House to discuss the fate of the Middle East direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Abbas is awaiting hot files he will discuss with Obama basically, Israel’s demand to recognise the state of Israel as a Jewish state as a condition for accepting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The issue is completely rejected by the Palestinians.

Other issues which will be tackled are related to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and the borders of the future Palestinian state, in addition to the question of the Palestinian refugees’ right of return and the question of Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails.

Islamic Jihad leader Khader Habib said that the title of the meeting between Abbas and Obama “will be more pressure on the Palestinians to pass the American plans.” He called on Abbas not surrender to such pressures “because this doesn’t mean making peace, this means wasting more time.”

Jamil Mezher, the senior leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) also called on Abbas to declare from Washington the failure of the peace talks with Israel, adding “we call on President Abbas to reject the extension for more absurd talks.”

“The American plans, mainly the framework agreement aims at liquidising the fair Palestinian cause and erase the Palestinian refugees’ right of return and accept to handover Jerusalem to Israel, and above all forcing the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state,” said Mezher.

Meanwhile, a well-informed Palestinian official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that Abbas and Obama will also tackle the plan of US. Secretary of State Kerry to reach a framework peace agreement between the two sides for reaching a permanent peace agreement.

The source clarified that the Palestinians are not yet certain if President Obama would hand President Abbas a written draft of Kerry’s framework agreement.

Before Abbas’ visit to Washington, the Palestinians already announced that they oppose the idea of extending the talks with Israel, according to the executive committee of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).

During the last eight month of peace talks between the two sides, Israeli and Palestinian officials had repeatedly announced that they haven’t reached any tangible progress in their talks that are sponsored by the United States.

Meanwhile, around 80 Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) said in a joint press release that they also oppose any U.S. pressure to be exerted on Abbas to accept an extension of the talks or accepting the peace plan of Kerry. – Xinhua.