Erekat hits back at Indyk’s 'unfair' criticism
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat tells Al-Monitor that former US peace envoy Martin Indyk’s criticism of Mahmoud Abbas’ conduct during the failed nine-month peace talks was “unfair.”
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has rejected former US Middle East peace envoy Martin Indyk’s repeated criticism of the Palestinian side during the nine-month talks with Israel. While Indyk has repeatedly suggested that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “shut down” toward the end of the negotiating period, Erekat cited the Obama administration’s refusal to offer any written proposal as undermining any chances of peace.
“I haven’t received any written proposal from [US Secretary of State John] Kerry. We are professionals here. The Americans presented 18 oral points and kept changing them,” Erekat said during an interview in the Palestinian negotiating department’s office in Ramallah. “If I get married, I sign a paper. If I get a job, I sign a contract. Do the United States and Israel not deal with issues in writing?”
In a July panel with The Atlantic’s Jeffery Goldberg, Indyk emphasized that while “Netanyahu moved into the zone of a possible agreement,” by the middle of February Abbas had suddenly “shut down.” In March, Indyk reiterated, “Abbas had checked out of negotiations.” Indyk also criticized the Israeli side in a May speech at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, slamming Netanyahu for settlement building: “The settlement movement on the other hand may well drive Israel into an irreversible binational reality.”
Erekat said that without a written proposal, he could not adequately report the US proposal to the Arab leadership, especially since Jordan has an official stake in the process. By only providing the American initiative verbally, the Americans fostered a situation of ambiguity bound to create additional tensions. “If later, Martin Indyk will say that I didn’t say that, whom will they believe?” Erekat asked.
