Erekat: U.S., Israel should focus on peace

RAMALLAH, West Bank, March 6 (UPI) -- Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat called on the United States to push for peace, not war, and to focus on the peace process, not Iran.

Commenting at a press conference Tuesday concerning Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, Erekat said both leaders failed to address peace and the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Instead they chose to focus on Iran, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa quoted him as saying. What is coming out of Washington is "a war plan, not a peace plan," Erekat said.

"Obama spoke about peace without specifying its requirements … . The perquisite for peace is an end to the Israeli occupation and establish[ment of] the independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital," he said.

For stability and security in the Middle East the Palestinian conflict must be resolved, Erekat said.

The Palestinian negotiator said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is drawing up a letter outlining the Palestinian peace proposal to give Netanyahu and emphasized the pursuit for membership at the United Nations will continue.

Israel has called the 1967 borders indefensible.