Palestinians Appear Indifferent to Netanyahu Victory

Some Palestinians are angry at Israelis for voting in PM Netanyahu and his Likud party, but PA President Mahmoud Abbas indicated that it makes no difference.

By: Atara Beck, World Israel News

The Palestinian leadership responded to the election results with calls for an end to the peace process.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Abbas’s spokesperson, said the Palestinian Authority wants Israel to recognize the two-state solution. He reiterated that if the new Israeli government does not do so, there will be no chance for the peace process to move forward.

“What we want is a government which endorses the two-state solution with East Jerusalem as capital of the Palestinian state.” Abu Rudeineh said

The Palestinians are now even more likely to press ahead with their attempts to bring war-crimes charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court. It also appears the Palestinians are planning to launch a new round of violence throughout Judea and Samaria.

Top negotiator Saeb Erekat vowed that the PA will continue taking unilateral steps. “It is clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will form the next government, and for that, we say clearly that we will go to the Hague Tribunal, we will accelerate, continue and intensify” diplomatic efforts, he said.

Hamas official Ismail Radwan said, “The results should be enough to convince the Palestinian Authority and Fatah Party to forget about the choice of keeping the absurd negotiations.”

The Palestinians last held presidential elections in 2005 and parliamentary elections in 2006.