Abbas receives positive U.S. signs over his political letter to Netanyahu

RAMALLAH, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas recently received positive hints from the U.S. on a political letter he intends to address to Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu soon, a well-informed source unveiled on Monday.

Abbas' letter to Netanyahu might be handed on Tuesday and would include a clear Palestinian position concerning the current developments in the stalled peace process and the margins for resuming it.

The source, which spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the U.S. signs were conveyed to Abbas in a meeting held with U.S. peace envoy David Hale last week in the West Bank after the letter was amended.

"Hale told President Abbas that in case Netanyahu's response to the letter is positive, the U.S. would support that, and if it is negative, then there would be other U.S. options and visions related to the Palestinian cause," said the source.

However, the source quoted Abbas as saying to Hale that in case Netanyahu's response to the letter is negative, "then we would for the United Nations bid of recognizing a Palestinian state."

The U.S. official, meanwhile, told Abbas that the U.S. opposes the Palestinian intention to go to the UN for a full membership, and "the move itself would be danger to the peace process, although President Abbas is sticking to the move and considers it an internal Palestinian affair," according to the source.

In mid February this year, Abbas told Arab League foreign ministers that he intended to address a letter to Netanyahu and the world's leaders that outlines the principles and the references for resuming the stalled peace negotiations.

Palestinian officials had earlier spoken about a strong U.S. opposition to the Palestinian attitude of addressing a letter to Netanyahu, where Abbas decided to modify the letter, mainly the threat to dissolve the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) as a protest to the Israeli confiscation of its performance.

Meanwhile, sources in the office of Netanyahu told Israel radio that an official Palestinian delegation is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu in Jerusalem on April 17 to hand him the letter from Abbas.

Nemmer Hammad, an aide to Abbas had earlier revealed that the Palestinian delegation would include Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, chief negotiator Saeb Erekat and Secretary General of the PLO Yasser Abed Rabbo.