(Haaretz).Senior officials in Jerusalem on Tuesday said they were dissatisfied that the Palestinians had not yet announced their agreement to begin proximity talks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Barack Obama, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Barack Obama, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New York in September 2009.
Photo by: Reuters
According to a senior government official in Jerusalem, the Palestinians were delaying and were postponing the announcement for no real reason.
A source in the U.S. administration said that at this point it appears that the Palestinian announcement will come only on Saturday, after the meeting of the PLO Executive Committee.
A senior official in Jerusalem said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team had made all necessary preparations to jump-start the peace process, and they are ready to open the proximity talks at a meeting scheduled for today with special U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell.
“We hope we will be able to start the proximity talks soon, and that the Palestinians will not use delay and avoidance tactics,” the government source said.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned for a whole year against wasting time, and has repeatedly called on the Palestinian Authority leadership to renew the peace process without delay,” the official said.
Mitchell is scheduled to arrive at Netanyahu’s office at 5 P.M., accompanied by his deputy David Hale, as well as Dan Shapiro, senior director for the Middle East and North Africa at the American National Security Council.
Netanyahu will be there with his advisers Yitzhak Molcho and Ron Dermer.
Although the PA’s official announcement of the opening of talks may come only on Saturday, Mitchell is expected to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday morning. At noon Friday, Mitchell is to meet with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and opposition leader Tzipi Livni.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Barack Obama, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Barack Obama, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New York in September 2009.
Photo by: Reuters
According to a senior government official in Jerusalem, the Palestinians were delaying and were postponing the announcement for no real reason.
A source in the U.S. administration said that at this point it appears that the Palestinian announcement will come only on Saturday, after the meeting of the PLO Executive Committee.
A senior official in Jerusalem said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team had made all necessary preparations to jump-start the peace process, and they are ready to open the proximity talks at a meeting scheduled for today with special U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell.
“We hope we will be able to start the proximity talks soon, and that the Palestinians will not use delay and avoidance tactics,” the government source said.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned for a whole year against wasting time, and has repeatedly called on the Palestinian Authority leadership to renew the peace process without delay,” the official said.
Mitchell is scheduled to arrive at Netanyahu’s office at 5 P.M., accompanied by his deputy David Hale, as well as Dan Shapiro, senior director for the Middle East and North Africa at the American National Security Council.
Netanyahu will be there with his advisers Yitzhak Molcho and Ron Dermer.
Although the PA’s official announcement of the opening of talks may come only on Saturday, Mitchell is expected to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday morning. At noon Friday, Mitchell is to meet with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and opposition leader Tzipi Livni.
