Abbas loyalists vent anger at Qatar, Al-Jazeera

By Ali Sawafta

Reuters

OCCUPIED RAMALLAH: A Palestinian official Monday accused Qatar of launching a campaign against President Mahmoud Abbas administration, saying documents released by Doha-based Al-Jazeera television aimed to mislead.

In Ramallah, several dozen Abbas loyalists tried to break into Al-Jazeeras office, witnesses said, during a protest against the channels publication of leaked documents showing the Palestinians offered big concessions to Israel in peace talks.

Abbas, speaking to journalists in Cairo, accused the television station of misleading viewers. We say very clearly, we do not have secrets, he said.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior Palestinian official, said the emir of Qatar had given a green light for a campaign against the Palestinian leadership in the occupied West Bank.

What Al-Jazeera is doing today is an attempt to distort the national position of the Palestinian leadership, he said.

Abed Rabbo said the report relied on out-of-context quotes, insinuations and outright fabrications.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said reports had misrepresented the Palestinians positions and statements and facts had been taken out of context.

In a statement, he said talks with Israel had raised ideas that the Palestinians could never agree to, adding: No agreement will be signed without the approval of the Palestinian people.

Reacting to the publication of the documents, the United States acknowledged that the release makes the Middle East situation more difficult, but said a framework peace deal remained possible.

The U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process said media commentary had conveyed an inaccurate impression.

I can personally attest to the commitment of the Palestinian leadership to secure the legitimate rights and interests of the Palestinian people, based on international law and U.N. resolutions, Robert Serry said.

The documents released Sun! day show ed Abbas negotiators willing to give substantial ground on important issues at the heart of the decades-old conflict with Israel, such as the fate of occupied Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

Hamas officials said the revelations revealed the ugly face of Abbas leadership, with spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri saying it was cooperating with the occupation. Agencies