Erekat: Occupation is highest form of terrorism

Occupation is the highest form of terrorism, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Ynet in an exclusive interview Sunday.

Erekat said "Israel made a mistake by suspending the negotiations" but that, despite the dead-lock in the peace process, Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas was still willing to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The current round of US-led negotiations broke down last week after Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation agreement which proposed the formation of an interim unity government until elections can be held.

Responding to leading Israeli politicians' demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Erekat emphasized that the nature of Israel is a domestic issue for Israelis: "It's never happened in the history of mankind that a country asked another country to define its nature. I have my own narrative and you have your own narrative. "