Senior Palestinian official threatens 'open conflict' with Israel if international community ignores Palestinian demands

A senior Palestinian leader has on Saturday warned that "the conflict will be open" with Israel if discussions on achieving an independent Palestinian state do not move forward.

Rawhi Fattouh, who was recently made chief of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) - the parliament belonging to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) - gave the ultimatum in a television appearance. 

Fattouh said the international community has until September to respond to Palestinian demands and hold an international conference for the Middle East peacemaking, according to Anadolu Agency.

"We will be absolved of all our commitments if the international community fails to respond and hold an international peace conference… and the conflict will be open," Fattouh cautioned.

The move came as the Palestinian Central Council (PCC), a smaller parliamentary organisation associated with the PNC, on Wednesday withdrew its acceptance of the state of Israel, pending Tel Aviv's recognition of Palestine with borders as they stood before 1967's Six-Day War.

Despite two deals reached in the 1990s between Israel and the PLO, known as the Oslo Accords, an ultimate resolution for Palestine-Israel conflict was never reached.

Previous discussions mediated by the US failed in 2014 over Tel Aviv's failure to stop building illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and free Palestinians detained in its jails prior to 1993.

Israeli settlers and security in the occupied West Bank often use violence against local Palestinians.

Amnesty International recently found Tel Aviv enforces apartheid on Palestinians within both occupied Palestine and Israel.​