CAIRO, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- A popular revolution could follow the failure of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, President Mahmoud Abbas warns.
In an interview with the Arabic network al-Jazeera, Abbas predicted "serious repercussions" throughout the Middle East if the peace process fails.
Abbas is in Cairo for a meeting Monday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, The Jerusalem Post reported. The leaders are expected to discuss the progress of the peace talks and efforts to win a resolution from the U.N. Security Council condemning the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
He told al-Jazeera the authority does not plan a military confrontation with Israel. But he said failure at the negotiating table would be followed by popular anger.
Abbas also rejected plans to declare independence on its own.
Palestinian negotiators are seeking a state based on Israel's 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The government of Binyamin Netanyahu is unwilling to give up any of Jerusalem and appears to be pushing for an exchange of territory that would allow the settlements to become part of Israel.
