Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday said the resumption of direct peace talks with Israel is contingent on an East Jerusalem settlement construction freeze. After meeting with President Mubarak in Cairo, Abbas told journalists that settlement construction should also desist throughout the West Bank. Western diplomatic sources said Washington is mulling a moratorium on new tenders for building housing units in Jerusalem during a three-month moratorium period while permitting already-approved construction to continue. “We totally refuse this. Settlements must be frozen in Jerusalem, or else we will not accept negotiation resumption,” Abbas said, adding neither Palestinians nor Israelis received a response from the US over the proposal. Abbas mentioned that some news reports referred to a deal struck between the US administration and Israel that provides Israel with weaponry in exchange for the freeze. Abbas added he informed US officials that Palestinians do not support the deal. Once Palestinian officials receive a US response, the issue will first be discussed on a Palestinian level, then referred to Arab Peace Initiative Follow-up Committee, according to Abbas. Talks with Mubarak covered the Palestinian internal reconciliation, Abbas said, hinting that no agreement has been reached with Hamas so far.
