THE EMBASSY OF ISRAEL
Jerusalem hopes the Palestinians are not looking for an excuse to leave direct negotiations just two weeks after they began, an Israeli government official said Sunday according to the Jerusalem Post.Israeli envoy Yitzhak Molcho and chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat met Saturday night at the headquarters of the Jordanian General Intelligence Department in Amman for the third round of Jordanian- sponsored talks since January 3. For the first time, neither representatives of Jordan nor the Quartet - the US, EU, UN and Russia - participated in these talks.
Al-Hayat quoted a senior Palestinian official as saying there would be only one more meeting between the two sides, on January 25.
The Palestinians say January 26 is a deadline imposed by the Quartet on the two sides last September to present comprehensive proposals on border and security issues.
The Palestinians say January 26 is a deadline imposed by the Quartet on the two sides last September to present comprehensive proposals on border and security issues.
"Israel is committed to peace with the Palestinians," IsraeliPrime Minister Netanyahu said. "There are no preconditions for the negotiations. The talks cannot be over before they begin. I am ready to meet with Abu Mazen anywhere, anytime; I call on him not to run away from peace and to continue the negotiations."
Victoria Nuland, spokesperson for the U.S. State Departmentsaid, "We don't want [the Palestinians], or anybody else, to get so fixated on the date that it chills the mood. We want them to keep going on the hard work that they're doing together."
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