Palestinian official insists on declaring state on May 4, 1999

A Palestinian official insisted on declaring an independent Palestinian state on May 4, 1999 according to the Oslo plan and the end of the 5-year transitional period.

The secretary general of the Palestinian National Authority, Ahmed Abdul Rahman, said that the transitional period is 5 years, which is enough for all international laws and traditions to end the transitional period and all negotiations either concerning security or restoring lands or economy.

He accused Israel of procrastination aimed at making the transitional period endless, saying that until now the Palestinians are pursuing abidance by the agreement. Maybe the agreement does not give the Palestinians the right to declare a state before May 4, but after that time, "We are not waiting once again," he said.

He spoke of the need to release the Palestinian prisoners that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far refused to do.