Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday renewed the US commitment to an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state despite a row over settlements that threaten fledgling Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Clinton made the remarks in the West Bank's political headquarters in Ramallah as she began a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who said that "conditions are difficult" but that "there is no choice but negotiations."
During Wednesday's round of peace talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Abbas, according to an aide, had renewed a threat to walk out of the negotiations if Israel resumes settlement building after a partial halt to construction expires later this month.
The talks Abbas had with Netanyahu and Clinton on Wednesday sought to address the core issues of the decades-old conflict, but also the settlement row.
The London-based Arabic language newspaper Asharq Al Awsat reported on Thursday that the Obama administration has suggested that Israel extend the current moratorium on construction in West Bank settlements by an additional three months, in order resolve the disagreement surrounding the issue.
In November, Netanyahu declared a 10-month freeze on construction in West Bank settlements, which is set to expire in 10 days.
According to Asharq Al Awsat, Abbas has agreed to the U.S. suggestion, but Netanyahu has yet to respond.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office issued a statement later Thursday morning, saying that "we don't comment on the content of negotiations. The position of Netanyahu regarding the time period allotted in advance for the West Bank settlement freeze is well known, and hasn't changed."
Palestinian sources said Thursday that during their meeting in Occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday, Netanyahu told Abbas that Israel would resume construction in the settlements at the end of the month causing Abbas to respond: "If settlement construction continues, I will stop negotiations."
Moreover, European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday will also call on Israel to extend the moratorium on settlement building, according to a draft of the summit conclusions seen by Reuters.
"The European Union deems it indispensable that both parties observe calm and restraint and refrain from actions that could affect negatively the progress of the negotiation," reads the draft, referring to direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that began this month.
"In this regard, it recalls that settlements are illegal under international law and, with a view to ensure that these talks continue in a constructive manner, calls for an extension of the moratorium decided by Israel."
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