RAMALLAH, October 6 (JMCC) - US negotiators continue to talk to Israelis and Palestinians, pressing for an agreement that would allow negotiations between the two parties to continue face-to-face talks begun earlier this summer.
Palestinians will seek a decision from the Arab League later this week on whether to continue talks after
Israel refused to extend a 10-month moratorium on
settlement construction in the occupied
West Bank. Arab officials are waiting to see the outcome of US discussions before making up their minds, reports CNN.
U.S. and Israeli officials said a number of possible formulas are being discussed with [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu, including a two-month extension of the settlement freeze and a strict limit on settlement construction while peace talks continue. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to Netanyahu on Sunday, the fifth time in the past week.
But even as U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell returns from the region, where he had another set of talks with Israelis and Palestinians over the settlement issue, U.S. officials continue to say that they have absolutely no idea what Netanyahu will ultimately agree to do, or whether it will be enough to keep Abbas at the table.
One senior Israeli official said that Netanyahu is determined to make sure talks go forward, and is cautiously and discretely discussing the settlement issue with the United States and his own cabinet. The official said Netanyahu is also considering a set of confidence-building measures to offer the Palestinians in lieu of a full settlement freeze.
Read the story at CNN...