H.E. Mr. Ahmad Abdelrazek:

The Deputy asked why negotiations had failed. We have two big problems because the Israelis have constantly indicated that they will only negotiate with Palestinians. This means that the Israelis hold the balance of power. They are not sure if they want to evacuate Palestinian territories. Most importantly, there is no confidence between the two parties, the Israelis and the Palestinians. Unfortunately, it is like that, which is why we have said there is a need for a third party; an honest and just broker. For example, in the nine months of negotiations the Israelis rejected the presence of any third party. How can we know the points on which we agree or disagree?

When I presented my letters, I remember President Michael D. Higgins telling me that if there was no secretariat for the negotiations, they would never succeed. He also said this publicly and he is right. We do not have a secretariat to record what is ongoing; therefore, everybody can say what he or she wants.

When there is a secretariat, a third party can say, "No, stop. You have agreed on that or you are disagreed on that. Let us continue." I can give an example. There are demands from Prime Minister Netanyahu that, for security, Israel will not leave the Jordan valley. Last February, Ehud Olmert, the former Israeli Prime Minister said the proposed peace deal in 2008 included no Israeli presence in the Jordan valley, contrary to the current Israeli demand. Do not tell me that the security needs have changed, because they have not. The political level that decides security is the security people. At that time, the security people who decided they did not need to be in the Jordan valley knew what they were saying and doing. I cannot imagine any Prime Minister in the world who can take a decision on security questions without the agreement of security people.

The second obstacle has been recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. Israel is registered in the United Nations as Israel. Israel has an agreement with Egypt as Israel. It also has an agreement with Jordan as Israel. Israel signed the Oslo Agreement with us as Israel. Why is it asking us now to recognise a Jewish state? I also point to the contradiction that the former President of Israel, Shimon Peres, has said that Israel does not need the Palestinians to recognise Israel as a Jewish state. Peres also said, in a television interview as Israeli President, that he was on the brink of a historic peace agreement with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas. Netanyahu stopped it. The agreement was reached with the Prime Minister's knowledge.

I mentioned what Mr. Kerry has said. Our demands are really clear. We want a state based on the 1967 borders. Of course, we also talk about the refugees. The Israelis say the Palestinians will submerge Israel with refugees. It is not that. We have said it is a negotiated question but, in principle, of course there is the problem of refugees. I am a refugee. If I say there is no problem with refugees, who am I given where I came from? However, to solve the problem is another question. I have the right to have my identity recognised. That is what I am asking for.