Meretz Head Meets Abbas in Ramallah

Meretz chairwoman Tamar Zandberg went to Ramallah on Sunday to pursue peace in a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

“We came with a message of peace to make clear that this is the State of Israel’s supreme interest, which must be at the center of the elections,” Zandberg was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post during the meeting at PA headquarters, accompanied by Arab-Israeli MK Esawi Frej.

“Any government that is formed must commence negotiations. Meretz, the only party promoting the subject of negotiations and the two-state solution, intends to emphasize the issue in the election campaign and bring it to the door of the next government,” Zandberg said.

In response, Abbas said: “As you know, we have turned to peace and we have no other option. This position has been adopted since 1988 and we adhere to it to this day. Our demand is to discuss the 1967 borders, and we extend our hand to any Israeli government that adopts these positions. This is our stance, and we will not move from it.”

Otzma Yehudit castigated the Meretz leader, saying: “Zandberg is the clearest example of the low point where the Israeli far-left currently finds itself. On the far-left, this is the equation: Lovers of Israel out, haters of Israel in.”

Zandberg joined the petition to the Elections Committee and the High Court to disqualify Otzma Yehudit for running for Knesset on the grounds of incitement to racism. The committee turned down the petition, while the court has yet to rule on it.