The most important thing is to restore credibility to this process. Now we've hit an impasse. We need to get around it. Both parties want to go back into negotiations. Both parties agreed the outcome should be an independent, viable Palestinian state and a secure state of Israel. But we need to give credibility to this negotiation, and the way of doing that, is to redouble our efforts on the ground to make change, and then to give shape to the negotiation that allows people to say, "Well, okay, we understand where you're going and we know you're trying to get there." And however frustrating it is, you know, we should bear in mind, both sides, do actually want to get into a, back into a, an active credible negotiation, which's gonna find a way of unlocking the door to it.
But how bleak is the situation do you think at the begining of 2011 amongst Palestinians, I mean, almost the people you've talked to. Are they given up hope?
Well, I think, the Palestinian political leadership at the moment are deeply frustrated with the present situation. And, yes, some of them may decide that the thing is not going to work. However, there are two important things to bear in mind.
One is, despite all of it, we're continuing to make progress on the West Bank and even in the gradual process of opening up Gaza. And secondly, there is still a desire by the Israeli government to get back into negotiation. Now the Palestinians don't want to do that, unless they think it's credible. So our task and I think we measure this in weeks, not in months, is to give credibility to this negotiation. And what looks very bleak at the beginning of 2011, can change very quickly, if we manage to achieve that credibility.
You said the moratorium attempt hasn't worked, and you make it sound like, the settlement issue can just be part and then we can move on, but you know that, it's not as simple as that, I mean it's absolutely essential to the conflicts, the settlements, and the Palestinians are not going back until that stops, aren't they?
Well, what is essential is the issue of borders, right? And security of course, and all the other issues, but the important thing about settlements, is if the resettlement activity that impedes the outcome people want to see, which is an independant viable Palestinian state. That's why the settlement issue matters.But if you can make progress on the question of borders, because you know we had negotiations for a two-state solution before without moratoriums or settlement freezes. If we could progress on this, the issue of borders,then in a sense that, acually overcomes that issue to do with settlements. Now, look, the international community's position remains the same as it's always been on the issue of settlement, but I do believe if we can get back into a negotiation on a basis where there're some genuine prospect to reaching an agreement on borders. That, then, you know, that is the resolution of the settlment question, not many moratorium want it. It will also.
