Palestinian Authority still studying US ideas on negotiations

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is still studying ideas the US has presented to renew negotiations with Israel, a senior Palestinian official said Monday – denying reports that President Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to resume indirect talks under the patronage of US peace envoy George Mitchell. Speaking on Voice of Palestine Radio, Azzam Ahmad, a leading member of Abbas‘ Fatah movement, said the president has not yet accepted Mitchell‘s ideas for indirect talks with Israel.

That contradicts a report in the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz on Monday. The Israeli newspaper , citing ”senior Palestinian sources“, said Abbas had agreed in principle to indirect talks, but intends asking for clarifications before giving his final answer.

Ahmad said Abbas was still discussing these ideas with Arab and world leaders and was waiting to end these consultations before giving his final answer. Abbas had said several times that he received from Mitchell ideas for resuming talks with Israel and that he was holding consultations with world leaders before giving his final answer.