The Israeli government is trying to prevent the release of the Quartet statement on direct talks, and hopes to replace it with a US decision, a source within the PLO told Ma'an on Monday evening.
The source said the PLO's Executive Committee would convene after the Quartet releases its statement, expected to call for talks under conditions that would attempt to satisfy both Israeli and Palestinian negotiators. A PLO position would be determined following the announcement, the source said.
"Consultations are ongoing between Israel and the US to get past disagreement on which side to issue a statement on direct negotiations," the source said.
"The Palestinian side wants a Quartet statement to be followed by an official Israeli commitment to that statement before direct negotiations can be resumed," the official added, accusing Israel of attempting to avoid its obligations set out by the international community.
Meanwhile, President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his call for a settlement freeze and a clear reference before reentering direct negotiations, which he said are "the real way to start direct talks leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."
Abbas' comments were made as he hosted Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at his presidential office in Ramallah for the second time in 24 hours.
Agence France-Presse reported Monday that Israel would reject any preconditions set out by the Quartet. "Israel is ready to start direct negotiations immediately, but without any preconditions," an Israeli official told the French news wire on condition of anonymity.
"The Palestinians, who have lost valuable time by refusing to revive these direct contacts, will present all the topics they want to discuss at the negotiating table," the official added.
The PA said it expected the statement to be modeled on a previous statement issued in March calling on Israel to halt all settlement construction and for the direct talks to lead to a final peace deal in two years.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his government was "ready to go to Cairo or Washington or anywhere else in order to move forward the [peace] process," adding that he hoped direct negotiations would begin in the near future as he met with Greek prime minister George Papandreou in Athens.
The March Quartet statement was set out by Abbas in his last meeting with US Envoy to the Mideast George Mitchell as a basis for peace talks. The statement called for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, and said talks for the creation of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders should be made over a period of 24 months.
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