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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaking on Saturday during a press conference in Cairo.
 (AP)
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Last update - 08:33 20/09/2009
Israel, Palestinians trade blame for stalled peace talks
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel news, settlements 

Israel and the Palestinian Authority blamed each other on Saturday for the failure of George Mitchell, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East, to secure a deal this week for the resumption of peace negotiations.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was quoted by AFP as saying on Saturday that "the road is now blocked," after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had refused to agree to a complete halt to construction in West Bank settlements.

But shortly afterward Israel's Foreign Ministry accused the Palestinians of actually being the ones responsible for the stalled peace talks.
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"The Palestinian Authority is that which is preventing such a meeting and the renewal of the diplomatic process by setting preconditions," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Yossi Levy in a statement, referring to a possible meeting between Netanyahu and Abbas. "These are conditions that the Palestinian Authority did not set for previous Israeli governments.

Levy noted that since the establishment of the government some five months ago, Israel has been willing to meet with the PA to renew the peace talks without preconditions.

"Israel believes that it is fitting for all parties to put preconditions aside and meet, in order to advance peace," he added.

On Friday, Mitchell shuttled between Netanyahu and Abbas, after meeting both leaders earlier this week.

Senior Israeli officials said Friday's talks were a total failure. They blamed this on a lack of Palestinian "flexibility" in their negotiating positions, noting that Israel offered to freeze West Bank settlement construction for 9 months.

Abbas, however, said it was up to Israel now to clear the way for peace negotiations, adding that Mitchell would resume talks with the sides after next week's United Nations General Assembly.

"There is no more work [for Mitchell] with the Western or Palestinian sides because we are complying with all our duties," he was quoted as saying after a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. "The focus has to be on the Israeli side."

Later Saturday, Abbas met with Jordan's King Abdullah II for discussions on the peace process. The two leaders subsequently urged the international community to prevent Israel from "derailing peace efforts" by insisting on the continuation of settlement activity, according to a royal court statement.

"The two leaders believe that the world community must now shoulder its responsibilities by preventing Israel from derailing current efforts aimed at relaunching serious and effective negotiations that lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state," the statement said.

Merkel: Israel may announce temporary settlement freeze this fall

Earlier Saturday, the London-based Arabic language daily Al Hayat reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that Israel will announce a temporary settlement freeze this fall.

During a press conference, Merkel was asked by an Al Hayat correspondent to comment on the issue of West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements, which many believe to be the major obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian peace, to which she replied that she was "not without hope regarding progress, specifically this fall."

Merkel stressed that following her meeting with Netanyahu in Berlin last month she did not lose hope and that she believed that the matter required time and patience.

The German chancellor was also asked why Israel was so adamant about the Palestinians recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, and whether she thought that this would adversely affect the Arabs living in Israel. Merkel replied "in Germany we also talk about a German state, while refraining from discrimination against anyone from different heritage."

"The goal is to define the majority without placing a question mark over the 1.5 million people of Arab descent," Merkel added. "When a future Palestinian state is established on the basis of mutual understanding I will be pleased as well."

Merkel also addressed the report issued by the UN's Goldstone Commission, which accused Israel of multiple war crimes during its offensive against hamas in Gaza last winter, saying that it was nothing to get worked up about. She suggested looking to the future and investing efforts in preventing such clashes from arising again.



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      1.   It`s so conveniant for the Germans 14:16  |  Miggy 19/09/09
      2.   Nothing to get worked up about---no surprise here 14:31  |  Labhras 19/09/09
      3.   what does that mean???????? 14:37  |  abraham 19/09/09
      4.   thanks Angela 14:38  |  CM 19/09/09
      5.   Goldstone report "nothing to get worked up about"?? 15:09  |  Rachel Rabin 19/09/09
      6.   Germans have a history of not getting worked up about war crimes 15:15  |  ahmed 19/09/09
      7.   German state is nothing like the same as Jewish state. 15:16  |  Michael 19/09/09
      8.   Weasel words 15:21  |  BDS 19/09/09
      9.   Are you kidding? 15:39  |  Velvel 19/09/09
      10.   Chancellor Merkel and the "big easy"...... 15:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/09/09
      11.   The question rather is, why are Pals. so adamant not recognizing 15:54  |  AA 19/09/09
      12.   BDS and Achmad # 5 and 7 15:55  |  BDF 19/09/09
      13.   Expecting Jews, only because they are Jews, to "stop living" in 15:55  |  Eitan 19/09/09
      14.   Only thing needed is "time and patience"? 15:59  |  jim the mechanic 19/09/09
      15.   A german state 16:18  |  Apa 19/09/09
      16.   Meaningless 16:25  |  Frank 19/09/09
      17.   I Did Not Realize That Israel Was Called "The Jewish State of 16:34  |  Phinias Whoppy 19/09/09
      18.   more confussion 16:35  |  Confused 19/09/09
      19.   What A Stupid Statement 17:15  |  Boyd 19/09/09
      20.   ## are you kidding---are you kidding 17:46  |  Labhras 19/09/09
      21.   Ya. it`s now high time for Obama to use his wisdom and his clout 18:01  |  Esther 19/09/09
      22.   #5, Rachel Rabin 18:04  |  Bruce 19/09/09
      23.   #12 Phineas Whoppy - Even if you had been told 18:04  |  *BEN JABO 19/09/09
      24.   Velvel, have you ever read the Likud Charter? 18:40  |  BBSNews 19/09/09
      25.   SHOCKING: Abbas Accusses Israel of, "blocking the road to peace" 19:03  |  David 19/09/09
      26.   Abbas, Be Careful Where You Tread, For The Land Beneath Your ... 19:07  |  Lavi 19/09/09
      27.   If Miggy wants to see crimes against humanity punished 19:08  |  Christopher 19/09/09
      28.   Abbass has nothing underneath him as support... 19:10  |  dav zee 19/09/09
      29.   abbass is the loser and is a loser to begin with 19:12  |  LINDA 19/09/09
      30.   BDS - PLEASE review the FACTS 19:13  |  A TRUE American 19/09/09
      31.   How is Israel blocking the road to peace? 19:16  |  Yonatan 19/09/09
      32.   Democratic & Jewish not possible, unless Israel wants to be Iran 19:24  |  Ramzi Jaber 19/09/09
      33.   the hidden benefit of no negotionas 19:48  |  ms. shuga 19/09/09
      34.   *BEN JABO _ Ahlan _ I was being sarcastic ! Shana Tova , Khatima 20:43  |  Phinias Whoppy 19/09/09
      35.   Ramzi-CHECK facts 21:09  |  A TRUE American 19/09/09
      36.   MERKEL SHAME ON YOU 21:10  |  Courcey 19/09/09
      37.   neither side wants peace 21:16  |  peter rouget 19/09/09
      38.   #24 A T American 21:25  |  BDS 19/09/09
      39.   what`s the big surprise? 21:39  |  Old navi 19/09/09
      40.   Stopping construction of WB settlements sufficient for now... 22:04  |  Smadar 19/09/09
      41.   My preconditions are less precondition-y, jerk! 22:26  |  HPL 19/09/09
      42.   It goes both ways 22:28  |  Miche Norman 19/09/09
      43.   the goldstone report; merkel`s perfect answer to a baited subject 22:41  |  eric 19/09/09
      44.   PEACE 23:02  |  PETER 19/09/09
      45.   Silly Abbas waits for the O to give him Israel. 23:09  |  flower 19/09/09
      46.   2 State Solution: will solve .... ummm ... 23:15  |  Jasper 19/09/09
      47.   the goldstone report; merkel`s perfect answer to a baited subject 23:27  |  eric 19/09/09
      48.   Ramzi #26: you have no idea what you`re talking about - 23:52  |  ivo 19/09/09
      49.   well said, Mrs Merkel, especially the note about the German state 00:08  |  ivo 20/09/09
      50.   no preconditions? didn`t say that starving gaza and elected gov`t 00:11  |  Daniel 20/09/09
      51.   the world`s oldest soap opera. 00:12  |  alan 20/09/09
      52.   #33 eric nm, Why U.N. Sponsored Witch Hunts @ Israel Jettisoned? 00:21  |  David 20/09/09
      53.   Has Anybody Thought Of This... 00:25  |  Yosemite 20/09/09
      54.   either/or 01:01  |  Jim 20/09/09
      55.   TRUE American (#29), you live in la-la land 01:14  |  Ramzi Jaber 20/09/09
      56.   Netanyah`s cornered 01:30  |  US Observer 20/09/09
      57.   Whatever became of the Wisdom of Solomon? 02:01  |  Jim 20/09/09
      58.   Abbas doing the right thing..... 02:16  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/09/09
      59.   Abbas, what did you get in return? 02:21  |  BIG 20/09/09
      60.   Obama Does Not Speak for Us 02:35  |  4Yahshua 20/09/09
      61.   Abbas`s dilemma 03:07  |  Chappaqua neighbor 20/09/09
      62.   With Hamas looking through Abbas`s PA window. 03:12  |  Sarah 20/09/09
      63.   #11 Eitan 03:12  |  Jim 20/09/09
      64.   Ramzi continues to ignore reality 03:24  |  A TRUE American 20/09/09
      65.   Yawn 03:43  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 20/09/09
      66.   Game of charades or real peace talks? 03:53  |  Michael J 20/09/09
      67.   Well that`s a breakthrough to begin negotiations at last... 05:37  |  Smadar 20/09/09
      68.   Daniel Obaman in the . . . 05:55  |  Mark Lincoln 20/09/09
      69.   Interesting definition of the word "precondition" 06:32  |  Johnboy 20/09/09
      70.   The White Elephant: the Goldstone Report... 06:39  |  BBSNews 20/09/09
      71.   Obama\s magic trick 07:23  |  Spin Meister 20/09/09
      72.   No 11 Not because they are Jews 07:37  |  Palestinian Brit 20/09/09
      73.   Obama to host Abbas, Netanyahu at summit 07:37  |  Joshua 20/09/09
      74.   The Trumpet 07:55  |  Shimon Cleopas 20/09/09
      75.   Let`s hope Obama will raise the most important core issue: 08:24  |  Eitan 20/09/09
      76.   The Human Brain 08:26  |  Shimon Cleopas 20/09/09
      77.   # 41 david, are you suggesting...(3rd try) 10:32  |  eric 20/09/09
      78.   A TRUE AMERICAN #27, you obviously don`t read mudh 10:33  |  Palestinian Prince 20/09/09
      79.   Eitan, it`s not up to the Palestinians to decide Israel`s state 10:40  |  Palestinian Prince 20/09/09
      80.   True american you are wrong 10:45  |  Santino 20/09/09
      81.   @ True american 14:10  |  curios 20/09/09
      82.   Rouget (#37) 16:13  |  jjvanka 20/09/09
      83.   Stalemate 16:15  |  jjvanka 20/09/09
      84.   Eric 16:26  |  Jasper 20/09/09
      85.   Meetings and talks are mere photo ops, doesn`t represent 17:17  |  Sarah 20/09/09
      86.   Abbas will be considered as a traitor if he starts 17:22  |  Jaffar 20/09/09
      87.   # 23 Ben Jabo- And when you will stop taking 17:52  |  Jaffar 20/09/09
      88.   curious in UK: Simple answer 18:19  |  A TRUE American 20/09/09
      89.   BBSNews must have been on vacation 18:55  |  A TRUE American 20/09/09
      90.   BBS News And curious from the UK _ Are you going to respond to 20:08  |  Phinias Whoppy 20/09/09
      91.   Proportional Force Eric? 20:52  |  sfg 20/09/09
      92.   blame for stalled peace talks 21:42  |  shimshon kinory 20/09/09
      93.   # 70 here`s a link to a recent palestinian poll, joshua (3rd try) 07:47  |  eric 21/09/09
      94.   #28 Palestinina Prince - Tell me when 23:38  |  *BEN JABO 21/09/09
      95.   #67 Jaffar - Good question 23:56  |  *BEN JABO 21/09/09
      96.   #86 Jaffar - Abbas isn`t "Negotiating" 23:58  |  *BEN JABO 21/09/09
      97.   #93 Eric - Distorting again!!! 17:44  |  *BEN JABO 22/09/09
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