site.btaPalestinians Will Negotiate with Israelis Only in Expanded Multilateral Format, Diplomat Says

Palestinians Will Negotiate with Israelis Only in Expanded Multilateral Format, Diplomat Says

Sofia, October 14 (BTA) - Palestinian Ambassador to Bulgaria Ahmed Al Madbuh said on Wednesday that the Palestinian National Council has prepared three files for submission to the International Criminal Court: one on the Israeli prime minister, one on the Israeli defence minister and one on the chiefs of the Israeli secret services concerning what are seen as criminal orders issued by them.

Speaking at a BTA-hosted news conference in Sofia, Al Madbuh said the Israeli government is responsible for everything happening in the Middle East, including the mounting tensions of the last few days.

The Palestinians would hold negotiations only if they are in an expanded multilateral format, such as the five-plus-one formula used for the talks with Iran, and are definitely opposed to the old format, the Ambassador said.

He called on the United Nations to provide protection for the Palestinian people until a final agreement is reached with Israel.

The diplomat also urged the European Union to carry out its own decisions and boycott the products exported from the Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. Those European countries which have not recognized the State of Palestine should do so, he said.

Al Madbuh recalled that in May the Palestinian National Council decided to stop abiding by the Oslo Accords if Israel continued to violate them. Within a week from now, the Palestinians will make a final decision about how exactly they will back away from the Oslo Accords, he said.

The Ambassador believes that the latest rise of the Palestinian people was sparked by the constant incursions of Israeli settlers into holy Palestinian areas. The rise was not organized by any Palestinian organization, it came spontaneously, but it showed that the Palestinian people could no longer bear the oppression it had been made to endure, he said. The Israeli government clearly ordered the police to open fire on anyone who looked suspicious, which led to the killing of several young Palestinians, Al Madbuh said.