Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei urged on Wednesday the United States for an immediate interference to pressure on Israel to stop annexation of West Bank territories.
Earlier Israeli and Palestinian reports said Israel had decided to develop an area by confiscating 1100 dunum (one dunum =1000 sq. meters) that surrounds the towns of Abu Diss, Sawahra and Eizareyeh east of Jerusalem."
Qurei told reporters the Israeli government "should immediately withdraw its decision," adding "such Israeli actions would for sure damage confidence building between the Israelis and the Palestinians."
"This coincidence between the resumption of peaceful negotiations and the Israeli decision to confiscate the 1100 dunum leaves many inquiries and doubts on the hidden intentions," said Qurei.
Israeli-Palestinian talks to hammer out a joint declaration before heading to the international peace summit due to be held next month in the United States had kicked off Monday.
"If Israel wants to continue with its unilateral measures of lands confiscation and settlements expansion, what is the benefit Israel wants to gain through our negotiations?" said Qurei.
Meanwhile, Mustafa al-Barghouti, chief of the Palestinian National Initiative proposed to Palestinian negotiators to link going to the fall peace summit, with freezing all Israeli plans of settlements expansion.
"The Palestinian side should put three conditions in order to go to the summit, first to stop building wall, second freeze settlements activities and third to annul the decision of considering Gaza hostile entity."
Source:Xinhua
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