 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday rejected calls to halt peace talks despite the crisis in the Gaza Strip, and criticized Hamas for firing rockets at Negev communities. "Negotiations and contacts with Israel must continue," Abbas told reporters in Ramallah. "We must even step up these negotiations and contacts to end the suffering of our people." Abbas, who was speaking at a joint press conference with Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, said halting negotiations wouldn't help the Palestinians. |