BICOM

Israel’s opposition leader, Isaac Herzog met yesterday with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. Herzog said that if the will exists, a peace agreement can be reached within two years.

The meeting was the first between the two since Israel’s general election in March and reportedly lasted for more than an hour. Zionist Union head Herzog told Abbas that there is a “rare regional opportunity that was created in recent months and which we must not waste,” which has seen “the backing of neighbouring countries for the Palestinians and ourselves to conduct a direct diplomatic process between us.”

Peace talks between Israel and the PA were suspended in April 2014, after the PA announced a national unity government with Hamas. However, Herzog said that he believes “if there is the will, it is possible to reach an agreement which ensures the security of Israel within two years.” He called for both sides to resume dialogue, saying, “We must give hope to the [two] peoples by restarting the brave moves that will bring us back to negotiations.”

Later yesterday, Herzog told Channel Two that, “Saying ‘There’s no chance, there’s no chance’ is the biggest mistake leaders make – [Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and Abbas.” He added that “The leaders need to talk and the nations need to talk.”

Herzog and Abbas also discussed in depth the security situation in the West Bank, which has become increasingly tense in recent weeks following an arson attack by suspected Jewish Israeli extremists on a Palestinian home, which killed two people. Several Israelis have since been attacked by Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem with vehicles, knives and rocks. Herzog commented, “The terror of recent days is liable to lead to a third intifada, and that must be prevented with everything at our disposal.” He pledged, “That means an uncompromising war against terror, and on this subject I’m even more extreme than [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.”