'Weak' Palestinians holding up agreement: Israel's Peres
LONDON (AFP) — Israeli President Shimon Peres blamed "weak" and divided Palestinian factions for holding up a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, in an interview published Tuesday.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Peres said he was "in doubt" whether the two sides could reach an agreement by the end of the year, and declined to speculate on how long it would take for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the European Union and United States, seized control of the Gaza Strip last June after routing Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who control the West Bank.
"I am in doubt we can get a political agreement (by the end of the year)," Peres told the business daily.
"That is not because there are great discrepancies between the Palestinian position and ours. The differences are as small as they can be."
He continued: "The problem is that the Palestinians are split. They are weak and they are getting weaker."
Of the prospect of an independent Palestinian state, Peres said: "In order to have a state, they have to make sure that a state will not become a base for attacking Israel. If we give back land we have to be sure that the land will not become the base for firing on us. The main problem is security."
Peres ruled out talks with Hamas, which he said was "under the spell" of Iran.
