Franks: Palestinian Authority Unwilling to Negotiate for Peace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE

Contact: Ben Carnes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In advance of today's expected United Nations vote to recognize the Palestinian Authority's statehood, Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02), Chairman of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, strongly criticized President Mahmoud Abbas, both for favoring a symbolic political stunt over the well-being of his own people, and for being unwilling to directly negotiate for peace with Israel: 

"By once again turning his back on bilateral talks, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is firmly placing yet another nail in the coffin of the Peace Process.

"By turning away from direct negotiations, Abbas is violating the fundamental principles of two decades of Israeli-Palestinian agreements. By doing so, he risks losing the financial assistance from the United States and Israel on which the precarious Palestinian Authority is so dependent.

"This effort by the Palestinian leadership to bypass direct negotiations again makes it all too clear that the PA is unwilling to negotiate for peace with Israel – no matter what the cost to the Palestinian people, and all in pursuit of a purely symbolic victory at the United Nations.  Sadly, this behavior typifies the Palestinian Leadership that for so long has kept its people in poverty and destitution by refusing to reach a negotiated peace with Israel."

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Congressman Franks is serving his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and is a member of the Judiciary Committee, where he serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and a member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law. He is also a member of the Armed Services Committee, where he serves on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.