Palestinians Do Not Accept Negotiations Without Moratorium on Settlements
Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday, after a talk with the Arab League in Cairo, that he will not engage in any further talks with Israel before a new settlement freeze is extended.
Abbas met Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the Arab League, on Wednesday after receiving a letter from U.S. authorities, by which the Palestinian Authority was announced that the American diplomacy abandoned any other attempt to convince Israel to extend the moratorium on settlements in the West Bank.
Saeb Erakat, Palestinian chief negotiator, has left Cairo and departed for Washington where he is expected to hold talks with Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, about U.S. decision to stop pressing Israel.
Abbas said that Saeb Erakat’s departure was necessary because something as important as this can not be settled by phone, and reassured that there shall be no further negotiation as long as colonies are being built on Palestinian territories.
Barack Obama is sending George Mitchell, the envoy to the Middle East, to assess whether peace talks could still be held, and if there is any chance to revive them.
Negotiations between Israel and Palestinian Authority began in September and were interrupted after two rounds because of the resumption of settlement buildings in West Bank.
After a series of attempts to resume talks, Palestinians decided to carry on a plan that aims at proclaiming unilaterally an independent state.
The state of Palestine has already been recognized by Brazil and Argentina and may be acknowledged by others in the region.11
