Will we continue to have peace talks? My guess is yes, I think this process will continue off and on until a completed plan is created. It may then sit until the appointed time when the Antichrist will usher in “peace” via it’s signing. I believe one of the speed bumps will be the Psalm 83 war, but none the less, it will be interesting to see what angle they use to continue them or if they really do stall.
One of the things I liked about this article is that it shows a map of the area and pin points all of the “settlements” (in the US we would call them suburbs) that are in question. Check it out…
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Palestinians mull talks walk-out over settlements
The Palestinian leadership has said it will not continue peace talks with Israel unless a freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank resumes.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met political leaders after settlement building resumed this week.
“The leadership confirms that the resumption of talks requires tangible steps, the first of them a freeze on settlements,” said senior Palestinian official Yasser Abed Rabbo.
Israel said the talks should continue.
After the meeting of Palestinian leaders in Ramallah in the West Bank, Mr Abed Rabbo accused Israel of “obstructing the negotiations”.
The BBC’s Wyre Davies in Jerusalem says the statement requiring a freeze on settlement building is a reaffirmation of the Palestinian position, but is also a reminder that time is running out.
Shuttle diplomacy
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to the Palestinians not to leave the negotiations.
“I call on President Abbas to continue the good and sincere talks that we have just started, in order to reach an historic peace agreement between our two peoples,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
The Palestinians are not expected to make a final decision until after an Arab League meeting due to take place in Libya next week.
Meanwhile, US envoy George Mitchell is visiting Arab countries in an attempt to secure wider backing for continued peace negotiations.
Israel refused to extend a 10-month ban on settlement building in the West Bank which expired last Sunday.
Mr Netanyahu has said a further freeze could fracture his right-wing coalition government, which is dominated by pro-settlement parties, including his own Likud bloc.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Middle East war of 1967.
About 500,000 Jews now live in more than 100 settlements which are held to be illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. About 2.5 million Palestinians live in the West Bank.
The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and is not taking part in the talks, has urged Mr Abbas to withdraw.
Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians resumed in September after a break of nearly two years.
• 62% under full Israeli control. This area contains all Israeli settlements, roads used by settlers, buffer zones and almost all of the Jordan Valley • 38% under Palestinian civil control. In more than half of this, Israel has security control • There are 149 settlements and 100 outposts (settlements not authorised by Israel) • Population: 2.4 million Palestinians, 500,000 Jewish or Israeli settlers
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Click on the article title for a link to full original referenced article.
