BETHLEHEM, Palestinian Territories: The Palestinians will explore alternative ways to gain international recognition if US efforts to advance peace talks with Israel fail, President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday. “We will spare no effort in pursuing this process and we have no choice but the choice of peace, we will continue with the peace process and we hope that US efforts will succeed,” Abbas said at a news conference with German President Christian Wulff. “And even if they don't succeed, we will go to other options within the framework of peace and international legitimacy, to arrive at the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” he said. The Palestinian leadership has said repeatedly in recent weeks that it is considering a range of alternatives, including seeking United Nations recognition for an independent declaration of statehood, if peace talks do not resume. Direct talks that began in September stalled shortly after they started when an Israeli moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank expired. The Palestinians have said they will not return to the talks unless the construction ban is renewed, but Israel has so far refused to reimpose the ban. The United States has been working on a letter of agreement that would offer Israel a range of incentives in exchange for a new moratorium, but no final paper has been released. Abbas, speaking after meeting with Wulff, challenged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show his commitment to the peace process. “If Benjamin Netanyahu said we don't want peace, he should try us,” Abbas said. “We extend our hand to him and we extended our hands to Shimon Peres and the late Yitzhak Rabin.” – Agence France
