CAIRO, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says peace talks will not resume with Israel until construction is frozen in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
At a news conference in Cairo following his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Sunday, Abbas said the Palestinians reject U.S. attempts to impose a construction freeze on West Bank settlements without including East Jerusalem, the Egyptian daily Al-Masry-al-Youm said.
"We totally refuse this. Settlements must be frozen in Jerusalem or else we will not accept negotiation resumption," Abbas said.
Abbas said he told American government officials the P.A. does not support a U.S.-brokered deal asking Israel to extend a 90-day construction freeze in West Bank settlements in exchange for an incentives package, the Egyptian daily said.
Abbas said once he receives a U.S. response on the latest efforts to renew peace talks with Israel, it will be discussed among Palestinian officials before it is referred to the Arab Peace Initiative Follow-up Committee, the newspaper said.
