By Gamze Coşkun (JTW)
Journal of Turkish Weekly conducted an exclusive interview with Nebil Maruf, Palestinian Ambassador to Ankara on the recent developments in the Middle East. Here is the full-text of the interview.
Q: Do you think there may be any positive improvements in Israel Palestinian Peace Talks?
Nebil Maruf: It is quite difficult, because from my point of view all the political leaders of Israel have not made up their minds to establish peace for Palestinians. They are still continuing building settlements, insulting and humiliating the Palestinians, and violating the international law. So, what kind of a peace we are going to talk about if they are continuing doing these things? Frankly speaking, there is the role of the international community to oblige Israelis to stop settlements and to start talking seriously.
I think it is not a matter of Netanyahu or the others. We, as Palestinians, have been in a peace process for 20 years. We did it with Netanyahu, Barack, Peres, Olmert, all of them. However, none of them have stopped settlements. This is the Israeli ideology. Till now, they have not known how to make peace with Palestinians. They are negotiating with us to take part of our land and annex it to Israel.
Q: Does Palestinian Authority have any negative role in the peace process?
Nebil Maruf: No. International Community put the road map, and we implemented all the road map points; Israelis did not. Both of us are in the process to achieve peace. This peace is going to happen as the international law, and international legitimacy says. This is going to be with a two-state solution. The state of Palestine is going to be established according to the border of 1967. But, it has been violated. They built up the wall, which annexed 50 % of our territory to Israel, and they continue building settlements. Therefore, after a couple of years we will reach a point where there is no land to be negotiated.
Q: Can Turkey play role in these peace talks?
Nebil Maruf: Turkey can always play a role. First of all, Israelis should listen to Turkey. But, Israelis do not listen to Turkey. I think, Turkey cannot continue its role while everyday Israel is torturing our people and violating the international law.
