Palestinians study postponing proximity talks with Israel

Mar 13, 2010, 12:00 GMT

Gaza - A senior Palestinian official said Saturday that President Mahmoud Abbas was holding discussions with high-ranking Palestinian figures about whether to postpone proximity talks with Israel.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Gaza-based news agency Quds Net that Abbas' discussions come at the request of Palestinian Authority officials to postpone the talks.

Last week, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) accepted a US proposal, backed by the Arab League, to launch four-month indirect talks with Israel to agree on the borders of the future Palestinian statehood.

'Any talks with Israel can never be launched as long as the Israeli government continues its settlement plans in the Palestinian territories, mainly in occupied east Jerusalem,' said the official on Saturday.

The official revealed that several Palestinian figures are pressuring on Abbas to postpone the talks.

'There are Palestinian concerns that the indirect talks would fail as Israel insists on continuing construction in settlements in east Jerusalem,' said the official.

Meanwhile, Tayeb Abdul Rahim, an aide to Abbas, Saturday welcomed US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's statements condemning the latest Israeli decision to build 1,600 new housing units in east Jerusalem.

US peace envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell is due to arrive in the region again next week to press the efforts to resume the stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said in a press statement on Saturday that the Palestinian leadership is waiting for an answer from the US on the demand to halt settlement activities before launching the talks.