Ma'an news Agency (Palestine) : "Fatah tells Abbas: No talks without settlement freeze"

Fatah tells Abbas: No talks without settlement freeze

Published yesterday (updated) 30/09/2009 22:27

Supoprters wave Fatah flag [MaanImages]

Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' party, Fatah, demanded he refuse to continue peace talks with Israel until the Netanyahu government agree to halting settlement construction, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Fatah Central Committee member Mohammed Dahlan told the news agency that the 23-member committee was unanimous on the issue, and also insisted an agenda for the talks be set ahead of time.

Analysts say the move may help Abbas request that US President Barack Obama remove his pressure from the Palestinian side to let go of their earlier condition. Reports last week said Abbas had bowed to US pressure over the settlement issue shortly after the tripartite meeting between Israel, Palestine and the US in New York on 22 September.

The meeting was held at Obama's personal request, after US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell failed to secure a meet after a week of intensive shuttle diplomacy in the region.

Follow-up talks have continued in New York and Washington following Abbas and Netanyahu's return to the region. According to the AP report, the Israeli delegation met with Mitchell on Wednesday.

While Europe, the UN and International Quartet remain adamant that settlement construction in the West Bank and Jerusalem halt, US policy on the matter seemed to shift as officials tried to coax sides to the negotiating table.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=228847


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