国际英语新闻：FM: Palestinians can declare dual nationality state

RAMALLAH, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians can declare a dual nationality statehood if Israel kept rejecting internationally-backed two-state solution, Palestinian foreign minister said Thursday.

    "We are committed to the solution of two sovereign states but we will still have the choice of a dual nationality state" if Israel rejected U.S. calls to endorse a Palestinian statehood alongside its lands, said Riyadh al-Maliki, Palestinian foreign affairs minister, in a statement sent to media.

    "In a matter of 20 years, we can be the majority in the dual nationality state," al-Maliki added, accusing Israel of responding unclearly to international calls for recognizing a Palestinian statehood in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem.

    Hawkish Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has been rejecting calls for freezing Jewish settlement in the West Bank. An immediate freeze of settlement construction was a key Israeli obligation in the Road Map peace plan which Israel accepted years ago.

    On Wednesday, U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell met Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, as part of a Mideast tour where he wants Israel and the Palestinians to resume their peace talks quickly and conclude them soon.