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Regional leaders meeting in Annapolis, Maryland last month. (Reuters)
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Last update - 22:22 24/12/2007
Second round of talks between Israel, PA ends in disagreement
By Haaretz Service and Reuters
Tags: East Jerusalem, negotiators 

A second round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians ended in disagreement on Monday with the Palestinians calling Israeli settlement building illegal, a top Palestinian negotiator said.

"This is illegal because the 'road map' (peace plan) stipulates that you
should stop all settlement activity, including natural growth," the
n
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egotiator, Saeb Erekat, said after the session.

The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams met Monday for the second time since the regional peace conference held last month in Annapolis, Maryland.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said Monday there would be no progress in the recently revived peace talks with Israel until Jerusalem halts all settlement activity.

"There will be one item on the agenda - demanding from Israel to cease settlement [expansion]," said al-Malki.

"We won't proceed a single step during negotiations with Israel without reaching an agreement on complete and comprehensive cessation for settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories," al-Malki said.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised Sunday to do everything possible to make the negotiations successful.

"The cabinet is maximizing its efforts to reignite the political process to bring an ultimate end to the peace process with the Palestinians," he said.

Nevertheless, Army Radio reported on Monday that associates of the prime minister have said they are pessimistic about the chances of reaching a permanent settlement with the Palestinians by the end of 2008 - a goal set by U.S. President George Bush at the summit last month.

Meanwhile, Israel's plans to build housing units east of the Green Line, despite its recent promises to freeze settlement construction, have drawn sharp criticism from the U.S. and the Palestinian Authority.

The Housing Ministry's proposed budget for 2008, announced Sunday, includes funding for the construction of 500 apartments in the Har Homa neighborhood in East Jerusalem as well as 240 apartments in the nearby settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said earlier this month that Israel's construction plans undermine efforts achieved in Annapolis.

He appealed to to the United States to compel Israel to halt the expansion of settlements in the West Bank as dictated by the road map peace plan.

"We loudly ask the U.S. administration to act as the judge and compel Israel to implement its commitments which the Road Map plan specified," Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio.

"If Israel went on, this will destroy all the efforts that aim at launching a meaningful peace process leading to ending the Israeli occupation which started in the 1967," Erekat added.

His comments came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, after meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, said, "I've made clear that we're in a time when the goal is to build maximum confidence between the parties, and this doesn't help to build confidence."

Government officials said, however, that there is no tension between Israel and the U.S. over Har Homa.

In response to Rice's criticism in early December, Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim said, "Secretary of State Rice should be blessed for her efforts in the relaunching of the peace process," Boim said, "but it cannot be that on every occasion this [peace process] will be tied together with the cessation of construction in Jerusalem."

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      1.   BS from PA, BS from Egypt, BS all over 14:32  |  Marabu 24/12/07
      2.   Peace reignition 14:33  |  marcel 24/12/07
      3.   boycott Israel now! 14:37  |  Henon 24/12/07
      4.   "meaningful peace process leading to end of Israeli occupation" 14:47  |  Sam 24/12/07
      5.   to #3 14:58  |  Marcelo 24/12/07
      6.   Israel has a right to build wherever and whenever!! 14:59  |  Yaakov Sullivan 24/12/07
      7.   Maybe they`ll work together building new places to nurture the 15:02  |  Love of God 24/12/07
      8.   Is the Government of the "Hermit" in control.? 15:07  |  Stephen. 24/12/07
      9.   No to Israel`s Apartheid Housing... No, No, NEVER! 15:19  |  * BEN JABO 24/12/07
      10.   Is a blow by blow report of this nonsense really necessary ? 15:29  |  redmike 24/12/07
      11.   Darwin shines dimly on #3 Henon 15:34  |  Yadu 24/12/07
      12.   Build baby Build! 15:40  |  CLickdrool 24/12/07
      13.   A Process Based on Pals Falsehoods Skullduggery Claims 15:43  |  Joseph E . 24/12/07
      14.   "Boycott Israel now" he he he 15:45  |  redmike 24/12/07
      15.   More Israeli subterfuge 15:46  |  Labhras 24/12/07
      16.   #6 fake Yaakov Sullivan 15:48  |  tpjo 24/12/07
      17.   building in Jerusalem 15:52  |  bill gordon 24/12/07
      18.   #13, Joseph E. 16:04  |  Anton 24/12/07
      19.   4. great plan sam :) 16:07  |  observer 24/12/07
      20.   16 tpjo 16:10  |  Yaakov Sullivan 24/12/07
      21.   Palestinians have a right to the whole holy land 16:11  |  * BEN JABO 24/12/07
      22.   Mural Dyslexia 16:15  |  DoubleClick 24/12/07
      23.   to observer 16:19  |  ricard 24/12/07
      24.   FOREVER IS ONLY ZION! BUILD AND SEE THE GLORY! 16:28  |  20x20 24/12/07
      25.   ONLY UNDER THE FLAG OF ZION,IN THE LAND OF KINGS! 16:32  |  18 24/12/07
      26.   zion` government is structred to steal land, 16:34  |  truth 24/12/07
      27.   "PALESTINE" IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY 16:35  |  Like it is 24/12/07
      28.   13. Joey E? can you tell me what it is about zion 16:36  |  tell me please 24/12/07
      29.   5. Marcelo in Frankford 16:39  |  tell me do 24/12/07
      30.   I have taken Jesus as my personal savior 16:40  |  20x20 24/12/07
      31.   ISLAMIC OCCUPATION OF JEWISH LANDS IS ILLEGAL AND IMORAL 16:52  |  governer 24/12/07
      32.   I AM SENDING ALL THE CHRISTS TO VATICN 16:56  |  20x20 24/12/07
      33.   JESUS IS ON HIS WAY TO VATICAN, WHERE HE BELONGS 16:59  |  tell me please 24/12/07
      34.   What a hoot! 17:11  |  Mark Lincoln 24/12/07
      35.   ISRAEL WANTS TO STEAL ALL THE LAND 17:26  |  JH 24/12/07
      36.   34. naw Mark that IS trhe saddest part 17:39  |  truth 24/12/07
      37.   ISLAMISTS WANT TO STEAL ALL THE LAND 17:55  |  JH 24/12/07
      38.   THE END OF "PALESTINE" = PEACE ON EARTH 17:59  |  truth 24/12/07
      39.   Getting their act together 18:12  |  Dudka 24/12/07
      40.   STILL DON`T GET IT AFTER 40 YS 18:19  |  indrajaya 24/12/07
      41.   # 14, Redmike: boycott now 18:19  |  Henon 24/12/07
      42.   no matter what 18:20  |  rico 24/12/07
      43.   # 18 Anton @ Bonn / Germany 18:22  |  Joseph E . 24/12/07
      44.   Building a house doesnt kill anyone? 18:36  |  An american 24/12/07
      45.   And the Arabs go doo da doo da doo 18:40  |  James Kevin O`Leary 24/12/07
      46.   # 28 tell me please 18:50  |  Joseph E . 24/12/07
      47.   No way Israel will freeze settlements 18:56  |  Montrealer 24/12/07
      48.   progress 18:59  |  colin 24/12/07
      49.   U.S. Break Laws Against Racism to DESETROY Jews` Human Rights (1) 19:01  |  Linda Rivera 24/12/07
      50.   Oslo-Road Map DESTROYED Jews & Christian HUMAN RIGHTS (2) 19:05  |  Linda Rivera 24/12/07
      51.   No progress before recognition of Israel 19:09  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 24/12/07
      52.   WICKED LIE of Occupation. Return STOLEN Jewish Land to Jews! 19:11  |  Linda Rivera 24/12/07
      53.   I`m a psycho racist radical JEW of the chosen people 19:20  |  Linda Rivera 24/12/07
      54.   Israel-land of apartheid, oppression, and thieves 19:26  |  betz55 24/12/07
      55.   # 53 Your special place 19:37  |  Mike the American 24/12/07
      56.   44 They kill/force people out of their land and build 19:40  |  Mike the American 24/12/07
      57.   A Megalo-maniac Fringe? 19:44  |  oliver masterman 24/12/07
      58.   # 1 19:59  |  real vision 24/12/07
      59.   #21 been jabo 20:06  |  real vision 24/12/07
      60.   Brooklyn-by-the-Med 20:08  |  oliver masterman 24/12/07
      61.   # 53-Have the HONESTY & DECENCY to USE YOUR OWN NAME-not mine 20:14  |  Linda Rivera 24/12/07
      62.   Muslims Already have an ARAB Palestinian State on JEWISH Land 20:19  |  Linda Rivera 24/12/07
      63.   #53 Linda Rivera--Palestinians best friend. 20:20  |  Labhras 24/12/07
      64.   One Million JEWISH Refugees Must be Compensated in Land &Finances 20:26  |  Linda Rivera 24/12/07
      65.   No progress until all acts of terror cease, and all preparations 20:54  |  Ykir 24/12/07
      66.   No progress until all acts of terror cease, and all preparations 20:54  |  Ykir 24/12/07
      67.   peace 20:57  |  marcel 24/12/07
      68.   everyone? Linda Rivera is an example of what zion is on the brain 21:06  |  save yourself 24/12/07
      69.   41 - still using your computer and probably you cellphone too :-) 21:21  |  redmike 24/12/07
      70.   End Arab occupation of Temple Mt first 21:33  |  David 24/12/07
      71.   Cancel Palestine, 2 states, Israel and Jordan Palestine 21:38  |  David 24/12/07
      72.   to hypocritical Haaretz. why are #3 and #9 there? 21:40  |  David 24/12/07
      73.   i just love to come in here and stink up the place 21:46  |  redmike 24/12/07
      74.   69. refool? neither puter or phone are any part izzy 21:47  |  get over yourself 24/12/07
      75.   Israel does what Israel does----Lies and then lies again 21:58  |  Labhras 24/12/07
      76.   to Shlomo from Tel-Aviv #51 22:22  |  zeev 24/12/07
      77.   #3 Henon 22:34  |  leo 24/12/07
      78.   #75 the irish hurler is at it again labarse 23:20  |  victor hardman 24/12/07
      79.   Poor Poor Victorpaul has finally seen the light 00:17  |  Labhras 25/12/07