Minister Tzipi Livni, who is in charge of negotiations with the Palestinians, announced at a meeting held by Israel and the Palestinians that Israel will not release the terrorists as part of the fourth wave, due to the unilateral steps taken by the Palestinians, when they sought recognition and accession to international institutions. "New conditions have been created, and Israel cannot release the prisoners of the fourth wave," Livni said, noting that the parties must now reassess their next steps.
Saeb Erekat charged that Netanyahu's strategy is "authority without authority, occupation without price, separating Gaza from the Palestinian body while preventing real authority from the Palestinian Authority.".
In addition to Livni, Erekat and Indiqi, the meeting was attended by the Prime Minister's envoy for talks with the Palestinians, Yitzhak Molcho, and the head of general intelligence in the West Bank, Majed Faraj. According to the report in the Palestinian news agency Maan, Faraj said at the meeting: "I came to negotiate on Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state" - surprising the participants.
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Livni made it clear to Erekat during the meeting that if it were not for the Palestinians' decision to hold a press conference and announce live their appeal to the UN, the fourth wave of the release of the terrorists could have already begun.
The Palestinians presented new conditions for extending the negotiations last night during a meeting with Israeli representatives. The Maan News Agency quoted Saeb Erekat today, who presented the Palestinian Authority's seven conditions:
• Written recognition by Netanyahu of a Palestinian state along the '67 lines, with its capital in East Jerusalem.
• The release of 1,200 Palestinian prisoners, who the Palestinians say were agreed to during the Olmert government. Among the prisoners are Marwan Barghouti, Ahmed Saadat - the mastermind behind the assassination of Rehoboam Ze'evi, and Fuad al-Shubki, who was involved in the attempted arms smuggling on the ship Karin A.
• Implementation of the crossings agreement and lifting the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
• Return of the expelled from the Church of the Nativity.
• Halting construction in East Jerusalem and opening PA institutions in the capital that were closed by Israel.
• Granting full Israeli citizenship to 15,000 Palestinians as part of the family unification process.
• Stopping Israeli incursions into areas under the control of the PA, stopping arrests and assassinations, and giving the PA control over Area C.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry today urged leaders on both sides to "lead and show leadership," and to do so immediately, in order to prevent the collapse of the political negotiations, after nine months of effort.
