Ahmad Qurei', Head of the Palestinian negotiations delegation to the final status negotiations, announced that as of next week they will resume the final status negotiations with the Israeli side after the Israeli side announced during the meeting between President Abbas and Israeli PM Olmert its commitment to the roadmap which also includes the halt of settlement activities. Ahmad Qurei' said as of next week the final status negotiations will be resumed and we will work on setting up the organizational structure of the committees; there will be negotiations without any settlement activities as the Israeli side promised and we requested from the US side to assume its role as an arbitrary to see both sides honouring their commitments. He said the Israeli promises are satisfactory to the Palestinian side, revealing that the Israeli side promised to study the process of reopening the Jerusalem institutions gradually. He said: With regards to the prisoners, we also discussed changing the criteria on the basis that the former criteria won't be the principle and there is an Israeli readiness to consider this issue seriously. When asked if the meeting constituted a beginning of halt of settlement activities in the occupied territories, he said: Yes, the meeting today was better than the previous meetings and we will see implementation on the ground. He said conducting negotiations without any settlement activities and reaching an agreement in 2008 is possible.

In the meantime, Israeli sources said Israeli PM Olmert informed the Palestinian President that Israel will not construct new settlements and will not confiscate Palestinian lands in the West Bank and will not encourage settlers to move to live in settlements in the West Bank. The sources said: Olmert informed Abbas that Israel will not take any step that can harm our capabilities to negotiate over the final status issues with the Palestinians and Israel wants to conduct the negotiations with good will.

In the meantime, Israeli sources said Israeli PM Olmert refused the request of President Abbas during their meeting yesterday to freeze the construction plans in the Israeli settlements. The Israeli Radio quoted a government official saying: Olmert did not promise President Abbas to freeze the tenders announced earlier. Both sides agreed to put aside the issue of construction at Jabal Abu Ghneim until it is discussed in the negotiations between both sides. Olmert's spokesperson said: We will not reach agreement with the Palestinians on every issue from the first day; the Palestinians have their positions and we have our own positions and the commitment is to work to overcome the gaps.

Published at Al Ayyam NewsPaper on December 28, 2007