RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raised the prospect on Friday of dissolving the Palestinian Authority if a peace deal could not be achieved with Israel and the world did not recognise a Palestinian state.
In a television interview, Abbas said that if Israel failed to halt settlement building and the U.S.-backed negotiations broke down, he would push for an end to the limited Palestinian self-rule in occupied territory.
"I cannot accept to remain the president of an authority that doesn't exist," Abbas said, referring to Israel's continued occupation of the West Bank.
Pressed by his questioner if he meant he would dissolve the Palestinian Authority, he replied: "I am telling them so. I say to them welcome, ... you are occupiers. You are here, stay here, I cannot accept the situation will remain as is." (Editing by Jon Boyle)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
