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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel rejects serious peace talks: Palestinians |
| 2010-08-17 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat on Monday charged Israel with rejecting a "serious" peace process by refusing to halt settlements in the occupied territories. His remarks came after Israeli media reported that a forum of seven top cabinet ministers would reject an expected statement from the international Quartet calling for the resumption of direct talks and a settlement freeze. "The announcement by the Israeli government rejecting the statement of the international Quartet before it is even issued shows that Israel is persisting in its rejection of a serious peace process," Erakat told AFP. "Other interests besides peace and stability" "(This) clearly proves that this government has other interests besides peace and stability in the region," he added. The Quartet -- comprised of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia -- was expected to issue the statement in order to give cover for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to return to direct talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his inner circle fear that a Quartet statement would be a "fig leaf for Palestinian preconditions," said an official in Netanyahu's office who spoke on condition of anonymity because no government statement was made. The Israeli prime minister and his top ministers decided to hold out for a separate invitation from the United States without preconditions, the official said. The Palestinians have said the statement would be modeled on one issued by the Quartet in March that called for Israel to halt settlements and for a revival of direct talks leading to a peace deal in two years. Netanyahu has said he is willing to meet with Abbas immediately but has refused to accede to Palestinian demands for a settlement freeze and a framework for the negotiations. |
| Posted by:Fred |