Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Livni said the goal of the meeting was to prevent further deterioration of the security situation, foster hope for the future and move forward from past negotiations.
According to Livni, the solution for the crisis in the Gaza Strip is stuck and lies in the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza – not in legitimizing a zealous and violent terrorist group such as Hamas.
During their meeting, Livni told Abbas, "We must act to prevent [security] deterioration. It's important that you move toward finding a solution before Gaza officially becomes 'Hamastan' – and it's important that you return to dialogue with the United States before the two-state solution disappears."
She also told the PA president that seclusion, unilateral steps against Israel and breaking the rules of the game would be a travesty for generations to come – and could lead to an escalation of hostilities on the ground, a loss of [security] control and squandering the two-state solution for the two peoples.
"Instead of Hamastan, the PA must rally toward a solution in Gaza and instead of attacking the U.S. it must return to speaking with it," she said. "The gravity of the situation obligates us all to find ways to calm the situation; without hunkering down behind anger and affronts."
Relations between Washington and Ramallah have been particularly strained since U.S. President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital last December and subsequently moved the U.S. Embassy there in May.
Abbas has since refused to engage with any of Trump's Middle East envoys, saying that the U.S. bias in favor of Israel proves it cannot act as an impartial mediator in regional peace talks.
The Trump administration has taken several other steps against the Palestinian Authority, including suspending the large U.S. contribution to the U.N. aid agency assisting Palestinian refugees and shuttering the Palestine Liberation Organization's mission in Washington.
According to sources privy to Tuesday's meeting, Livni urged Abbas to "resume dialogue with the U.S. on the basis of the principles of the two-state solution – a demilitarized state of Palestine alongside Israel; not because of the punishments and budget cuts but despite them, even if you have concerns and resentments and even if you don't agree with all the conditions."
She said that the opposition in Israel and "the majority of the Israeli public support the principle of two nation-states but will oppose any unilateral initiatives against Israel in international bodies. Funding of terrorists' families and actions at the International Criminal Court at The Hague are unacceptable, lead to a lack of trust and strengthen the extremists."
Following their meeting, Livni told reporters: "Defense officials are warning that we're at the brink of a boiling point in Gaza and Judea and Samaria, and it's my duty to do everything in my power, with my experience and contacts, to contribute to finding a solution to the crisis in Gaza, act against Hamas and give the American [peace] plan a chance. Thus far, the attempts by the Israeli government, the Americans and the Egyptians have unfortunately failed.
"Instead of mutual accusations that only serve internal politics, we need to take action; the [diplomatic] stagnation serves the extremists. Courageous leaders must rise and strive toward solutions that will prevent violent outbreaks," she said.
Livni, a former foreign minister, concluded by saying her policies correspond with the position of Israel's defense establishment.
"Alliances with the moderates against the extremists. Instead of talking to Hamas the Israeli government must speak with the legitimate Palestinian Authority. Abbas cooperates on the security level with Israel and is preferable to the Hamas extremists and other terrorist organizations," she said.
"The choice in the Middle East is between bad options and Abbas is the least bad option despite my criticism of him."
