Peace-talk resumption requires Israeli recognition of 2-state solution: Abbas

RAMALLAH (Xinhua) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that the success of the US efforts on resuming the stalled peace talks needs an Israeli recognition of the two-state solution first.

Abbas made the remark in an official statement after he chaired a meeting of his Fatah Party's Central Committee in Ramallah.

"A clear Israeli declaration that Israel recognizes the principle of the two-state solution, halting settlement building and releasing the (Palestinian) prisoners is sign of the success of the US efforts to resume the talks," said Abbas.

"The upgrade of Palestine to a non-member observer state by the United Nations means that the occupied Palestinian territories are the territories of the Palestinian state," he said, adding "these territories are not disputed lands."

"As for land-swap with Israel, for us, it means slight mutual exchanges of lands, and it would never mean the legalization of settlement in big settlements in the West Bank," he asserted.