Palestinian “prime minister” Ahmed Qureia says to Israel, “Give us peace, or we’ll kill you:” Palestinian PM Links Calm to Statehood Talks.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie said Saturday Palestinians should halt armed violence only if there was a credible peace process with Israel leading toward a viable Palestinian state.

In linking calm to peacemaking, Qurie appeared to take a tougher line than Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian presidential election frontrunner, who has condemned violence as a strategic mistake and said talks are the sole way to achieve independence.

It was a further sign of possible tension brewing between Abbas and Qurie. Abbas has also rejected a planned London conference on Palestinian reform endorsed by Abbas, saying what was really needed now was a peace conference.

Qurie said efforts to achieve a cease-fire and advance peacemaking largely depended on Israel, which by contrast has put the onus on Palestinians to lay down arms as a condition for internationally-sponsored negotiations to begin.

“If there was a credible, serious peace process and a real chance to reach a just and comprehensive settlement, the Palestinians should immediately start negotiations and stop violence,” Qurie told Reuters in an interview.

For Palestinians, a just outcome is a state in all of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel aims to quit tiny Gaza but hold on to large West Bank settlements for good and rules out dividing Jerusalem.

“If there is a serious international effort to enable the Palestinians to achieve statehood, non-violence is an option that has to be tried. If there is a real chance for peace, we will not waste it,” said Qurie, like Abbas seen as a moderate.