Palestine-Israel Peace Possible If US Diplomats Are As Determined As They Have Been For Iran Nuclear Deal: Official

A senior Palestinian official said that the U.S. administration can bring peace in the region if it has the kind of determination it has had for the Iran nuclear negotiations.

The Fatah Central Committee member Mohammad Shtayyeh said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was going to meet Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to resume peace talks and revive the situation in the region. Kerry reportedly called Abbas Thursday as they agreed to meet during the assembly.

According to the official, Abbas has plans to address the assembly “in his capacity as the president of the state of Palestine, unless he decides not to seek reelection as Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee,” The Jerusalem Post reported.

Shtayyeh said that Abbas was going to use the U.N. summit to ask the Obama administration to make a resolution to end the conflict in the region. He said that U.S. diplomats would require the same kind of determination they had for the Iran nuclear deal to resolve the Palestinian crisis.

“They fought for the agreement and formed an international coalition,” The National quoted Shtayyeh as saying. “Now we need this American administration to create a coalition for peace between Palestine and Israel.”

Abbas earlier hinted resigning from the PLO Executive Committee. However, Shtayyeh said that the Palestinian National Council was not going to accept his resignation. The PNC is scheduled to meet on Sept. 14 and on Sept. 15 in Ramallah.

Shtayyeh added the PLP was going to remain the only legitimate representative of all Palestinians, and it would also run in accordance with the “right of return” for Palestinian refugees. He said that all Palestinian factions including Hamas were welcome to take part in the PNC session.