Palestinian president in Prague

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, who is on a two-day visit to the Czech Republic, told officials in Prague on Monday that a two-state solution was the only viable option to the Middle East conflict and should be actively pursued. Speaking after a meeting with President Klaus, Mr. Abbas said that it was important to build on what had already been achieved, rather than going back to square one after the Israeli elections. He also stressed that the Gaza Strip could not be reconstructed without a united Palestinian government which would respect international norms and existing commitments. President Klaus agreed that Palestine would not be “intelligible” to the international community unless it was united.

Efforts to reconcile Mahmud Abbas’ Fatah faction and the rival Islamist movement Hamas have so far failed to yield results. Hamas drove Abbas’ security forces out of Gaza in June 2077, taking over the territory and confining the Palestinian Authority to the Israeli occupied West Bank.