国际英语新闻：Abbas slams Netanyahu over separation wall statement

RAMALLAH, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday slammed Israeli hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for ruling out that the separation wall in the West Bank would be one day dismantled.

    Abbas told reporters at a joint news conference held in Ramallah with Alexander Sultanov, deputy foreign minister of Russia, that the separation wall that Israel builds in the West Bank "is a racial wall that must be removed."

File photo taken on May 28, 2009 shows the separation fence outside the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that Israel is not to demolish the separation fence in the West Bank, as the barrier constitutes "a critical component" of his country's security.

Earlier on Wednesday, Netanyahu said in a speech before members of the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, that Israel is not intending to remove what he termed as "the security wall."

    Israel has been building a separation wall between the West Bank and Israel despite an International Court of Justice decision that Israel should stop building it. Large areas of Palestinian-owned properties were confiscated.

    "The racial separation wall as well as settlements are both illegal," Abbas told reporters, adding "the Wall must be removed and the settlement must stop."

File photo taken on Sep. 26, 2008 shows Palestinians waiting beside the separation fence to cross the Qalandiya checkpoint for Friday prayers during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan outside the West Bank city of Ramallah

Israeli media has earlier reported that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has officially appealed to U.S. President Barack Obama to exert pressure on Israel to dismantle the wall and stop building it on the West Bank territories.

    Abbas is scheduled to meet with U.S. peace envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell on Monday, according to chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

    At the joint news conference, Abbas called on Israel to commit itself to the internationally-backed Road Map peace plan, adding "We are fully committed to the plan, we had already implemented our commitments, and will carry on."

    "The basic issue is first to stop building settlements completely including what they call the natural growth. Israel also has to recognize the principle of the two-state solution without imposing preconditions," said Abbas.

    Israel considers the 709-kilometer wall that it builds in the West Bank as "a security wall against terrorism," while the Palestinians deem it "as a racial separation wall that swallows the West Bank territories."

File photo taken on Sep. 12, 2009 shows a Palestinian walking past the separation fence at Rachel's Tomb checkpoint in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that Israel is not to demolish the separation fence in the West Bank, as the barrier constitutes "a critical component" of his country's security