The first round of direct peace talks between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, commonly known as Abu Mazen, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended two days ago in Washington with both agreeing to hold bi-weekly meetings to continue negotiations. The second round will be held on 14 and 15 September in Sharm el-Sheikh. It is expected that the issue of borders will be discussed during this meeting. Meanwhile, the US has admitted to the existence of bitter disagreements between the two parties. George Mitchell, US Middle East Envoy, said Abu Mazen and Netanyahu have agreed to resolve all final status issues within a year and to issue a condemnation of all forms of violence. They also pledged to work together to create an atmosphere of confidence. Mitchell added that the first round of talks was fruitful even though the two sides did not tackle final status issues. He also said that there are several deep divisions between the Palestinians and Israelis, adding that establishing peace will require painful sacrifices on both sides. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton who met with both leaders said there is a climate of suspicion and wariness. The Palestinian and Israeli leaders held a one-on-one meeting that lasted for an hour and a half during which Netanyahu called on the Palestinian President to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and emphasized the importance of security as the basis for peace. Abu Mazen called for an end to settlement building and the lifting of the siege imposed on Gaza. Meanwhile, dozens of Orthodox Jews staged a protest in front of the US State Department to express solidarity with the Palestinians. Hamas for its part held a meeting with 12 Palestinian resistance factions where they agreed to continue attacks against the Israeli occupying force in the West Bank. Mahmoud al-Zahhar, one of Hamas' leaders, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the Palestinians need real answers for final status issues, while Ezzat al-Rashq, the organization's media spokesperson, described the peace talks as a media circus. In occupied Jerusalem, the Israeli military imposed strict security restrictions and surrounded the Aqsa Mosque to quell any violence following the Friday prayers. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
