| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories : Palestinian and Israeli officials on Tuesday were cautious about the latest round of peace talks but indicated the US-backed negotiations were not likely to collapse.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas "announced with the utmost clarity and positivity that he is prepared to succeed in these negotiations, and that the climate in Washington was different," said Nabil Shaath, a member of the Palestinian negotiating team, referring to Thursday's relaunch of the talks.
"But this climate means nothing if there are no results," he told reporters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this cautious approach in a message to his people ahead of the Jewish New Year, which begins at sundown on Wednesday.
He called the relaunch of direct talks after a 20-month hiatus "an important step in the attempt to reach an agreement," in the annual message that for the first time was broadcast on the video-sharing website YouTube.
"I say that it's an attempt because success is not certain. There are many obstacles; there are many sceptics and many reasons for scepticism.
"But there is a need to try and reach peace and we are trying with good intentions, but not naively," he said.
The talks face a crucial test later this month when a partial Israeli moratorium on West Bank settlement construction expires. The Palestinians have repeatedly vowed to quit the talks if building resumes.
The Israelis have indicated that they will not extend the ban.
But another senior Palestinian official said the total collapse of the peace talks was unlikely.
"These negotiations have been launched and there is no retreating from them," the official said on condition of anonymity.
"It is impossible to imagine the US administration calling for direct negotiations at the start of the month and accepting that they stop at the end of the month, because that would hurt their credibility."
He added that "it is not in our interest for there to be a complete collapse of the negotiations," and that he believed Israel and the US administration were working on a compromise on settlements.
The Palestinians view the presence of a half million Israelis in more than 120 settlements scattered across the occupied West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem as a major obstacle to the establishment of a viable state.
There are other concerns fuelling the pessimism of Palestinian officials, who say the two sides did not agree on anything concrete during their first meeting in Washington.
They also fear US mediators will not put sufficient pressure on Israel, allowing it to impose its will as the stronger power in the negotiations.
Abbas and Netanyahu are to meet September 14 in Egypt for the first in a series of meetings to be held every two weeks that negotiators hope will lead to a final peace agreement within a year.
- AFP/fa
|
