The Palestinian Authority (PA) called Monday on the Arab Peace Initiative to convene on 4 October to decide whether the PA should continue direct peace talks after the Israelis failed to extend the settlement construction moratorium. Palestinian Ambassador to Egypt Barakat al-Farra said that he has submitted a request to the Arab League to arrange the gathering with the initiative's peace negotiations committee. An Arab diplomat told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the meeting will take place next Monday. Observers anticipate that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will continue negotiations with Israel under the auspices of the Arab League, despite the Israeli settlement decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged Abbas to continue with the negotiations. Netanyahu said Israel is ready to maintain communications with Palestinian officials. Israeli reports revealed yesterday that Israel plans to build around 38,000 new settlement units, most of which will be in occupied East Jerusalem. Construction for 1500 units of the units are set to begin immediately, according to the reports.
