Washington, August 11: Palestinian officials on Tuesday said they had made progress towards the launch of direct talks with Israel during the latest visit by US envoy George Mitchell.
However, they adhered to the same demands that have held up talks for months, namely a complete freeze of Israeli settlement activity and set guidelines regarding the negotiation of final borders.
The Palestinians also want a set timeline for an agreement addressing all the core issues of the conflict that does not exceed 24 months.
“There has been progress with regard to the (Palestinian) suggestions for launching direct negotiations and in the American position towards them,” a senior Palestinian official said on condition of anonymity.
“The US administration, in coordination with the parties of the Quartet and the Israeli and Palestinian sides, is preparing the invitation for direct negotiations.”
The official spoke after a three-hour meeting between Mitchell and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas that the US envoy told reporters was “long and productive.”
“We’ve just completed a long and productive meeting with President Abbas and his leadership team. I thank the president again for his personal courtesy and his courage and leadership in a difficult situation,” Mitchell said.
“We will continue our discussions. We are moving this process forward.”
Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said “the next few days will see important developments and very deep discussions in order to crystalise a position on direct negotiations.”
He added that US mediators had begun to “seriously study” the Palestinian suggestions.
The Palestinians reluctantly agreed to indirect negotiations in May following months of pressure from the Middle East diplomatic Quartet — the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia.
But they have thus far rejected Quartet demands to move into direct negotiations without a settlement freeze and border guarantees, and have said the indirect talks have made little progress.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly called for direct talks but few Palestinians believe his mostly right-wing government is prepared to withdraw from the West Bank or occupied and annexed east Jerusalem.
Mitchell was to meet with Netanyahu at 11:00 am (0800 GMT) on Wednesday.
“We repeat that we are not against direct negotiations but for them,” chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told reporters after the talks.
“But we want a schedule and a timetable based on a settlement freeze and a reference to Palestinian lands occupied in 1967, including east Jerusalem,” he said.
“There is not yet an agreement on launching negotiations, but there is no refusal.”
—Agencies