WORLD> Middle East
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WORLD> Middle East
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Palestine seeks UN statehood recognition
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-16 10:36 However, Erekat added that the contacts with the United States over the resumption of the peace process were still in early phases. "There has been no development or progress yet," he said. He said the discussions have not yet led to meetings between the two sides to bridge the gaps between the PNA and the Israeli government. "The resumption of the negotiations must be preceded with the suspension of all Israeli settlement activities, including those in Jerusalem," said Erekat.
The talks have stopped when Israel launched a major military operation in Gaza in December 2008. When hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office in early April, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced he will not resume the negotiations until Netanyahu endorses the two-state solution and freezes the Jewish settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel's radio has reported that George Mitchell, the US Middle East envoy, will visit the region soon in a renewed effort to restart the peace process. But Erekat said the PNA "was not informed about imminent visit by Mitchell." Meanwhile, Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman plans to visit the West Bank soon to discuss several issues with Abbas, an official from Abbas's Fatah party said. "Suleiman's visit is almost confirmed and may take place in the coming few days," Jamal Muhaissen, a member of Fatah central committee, told reporters, adding "Suleiman will discuss with Abbas the stalled peace process." The two key issues Suleiman would be discussing with Abbas is the stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and the national Palestinian reconciliation which Egypt tries to broker, according to Muhaissen. Hamas, the bitter rival of Fatah, has rejected an Egyptian proposal for reconciliation, keeping political split between the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and the West Bank on. "An important part of the visit would be dedicated to the reconciliation issue," Muhaissen said, adding that Fatah has signed the Egyptian proposal "and there will be no adjustment to the document" as Hamas demands. Abbas wants Washington to put pressure on Israel to stop the Jewish settlement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem before resuming peace talks.
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