Published yesterday (updated) 13/10/2010 20:20
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=323908

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A PLO official said Wednesday that the Ramallah-based
body's position toward recognizing Israel as a Jewish state is clear and not
going to happen.

Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yusuf told Ma'an that such a move would
undermine the Palestinian right of return.

On Monday, Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinian
Authority to recognize Israel as a Jewish state in exchange for a settlement
freeze extension, which was rejected.

A day later, the US State Department said it backed Israel's aspirations to
be recognized as a Jewish state.

Palestinian negotiators have recognized Israel's right to exist, but have
said how the country labels itself is irrelevant. There are fears, however,
that a Jewish state would jeopardize the right of return of Palestinian
refugees and place non-Jewish citizens of Israel at risk of discrimination.

Abu Yusuf's remarks came after PLO secretary-general Yasser Abed Rabbo
called on Israel and the US to provide a map of Israel's borders before
"asking anything else."

Abed Rabbo told Ma'an that "Israel is an unknown entity in terms of borders
[so] how does it suggest we recognize it as a Jewish state? Israel and the
US should first set out Israel's borders."

The PLO official further denied speaking with the Israeli daily Haaretz, to
which he reportedly said, "If the map will be based on the 1967 borders and
will not include our land, our houses and East Jerusalem, we will be willing
to recognize Israel according to the formulation of the government within
the hour."

According to the daily, Abed Rabbo said, "Any formulation the Americans
present -- even asking us to call Israel the 'Chinese State' -- we will
agree to it, as long as we receive the 1967 borders. We have recognized
Israel in the past, but Israel has not recognized the Palestinian state."

However, Abed Rabbo said he had only spoken with Agence France-Presse over
the issue.