Ramallah, Oct 2 (DPA) US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell failed Friday to get the Palestinians to agree to continue negotiations with Israel before the latter extends a freeze on settlement construction, which Israel has so far refused to do.
Mitchell Friday concluded three days of talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders in an effort to prevent a breakdown in the negotiations, which started early September.
The Palestinians reiterated their position that, without an extension of the 10-month settlement freeze decision, which expired Sunday, they will not continue in the negotiations.
Mitchell told reporters after his meeting with Abbas in Ramallah that he will continue his efforts with both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians will do all they can with the US administration ‘to give the peace process the opportunity it needs’.
He said that ‘the key to direct negotiations is in the hands of the Israeli prime minister,’ stressing that ‘the Palestinian position is very clear and specific and it says all settlement activities should stop to give direct negotiations a chance’.
