RAMALLAH, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - The Palestinian foreign minister said Wednesday that an end to Israel's colonization policy on the West Bank was more important than a renewal of political dialogue through the "road map" plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In an interview in advance of his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who will embark on a two-day Middle East tour Wednesday, Nasser al-Kidwa said Israel was continuing settlement activities and the construction of the security fence on the West Bank.
The minister said the "road map" for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict resolution was only a means to attain a goal.
Al-Kidwa said it was important for the parties to be determined about moving toward this goal.
"A real question is whether we are serious about achieving the goal, the two-state solution, and right now I am not sure that is the case on the Israeli part," al-Kidwa said.
He said the "road map" made no sense if there was no intention to stick to it.
"I don't think [you need] the map if you don't have a decision to move. If you are not going somewhere than you don't need it."
Al-Kidwa urged the international community, led by the Middle East Quartet of Russia, the United Nations, the European Union and the United States, to proceed with more resolve in their collective efforts to curb Israel's policy of "colonization".
"What is needed, again, is serious position, that parties have to move, parties have to stop creating illegal facts on the ground. Colonization has to stop," he said.
The minister disagreed with the popular opinion that the United States is the only country capable of exerting effective pressure on Israel.
"I think others can. And the question is whether they are ready to do that or not. Europe, for instance, has very important leverage in terms of trade with Israel," al-Kidwa said, adding that Russia could also influence the situation.
"Russia also has its own leverage and in different fields, in international organizations and in the Security Council, and it can exercise some pressure - there is no doubt of all that," he said.
