Abbas urges Israeli settlement freeze

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-19-2007 09:21

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a news conference, a day after an international donors conference for the Palestinian Authority, in Paris December 18, 2007.REUTERS/Benoit Tessier (FRANCE)

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, says Israeli settlement expansion poses a serious threat to Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

He is repeating the call for a settlement freeze.

Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President, said, "I think the main obstacle that hampers negotiations with Israel is the construction of settlements. We have clearly said that Israel must stop construction and expansion, as well as dismantle the 127 settlements built since 2001."

In Israel, Cabinet Minister, Haim Ramon, says construction will continue, particularly in the large West Bank settlements that Israel hopes to keep under any agreement with the Palestinians.

But he is proposing to compensate the Palestinians with Israeli territory.

Abbas says he places his hopes on an Israeli-Palestinian-US committee to deal with the implementation of the first phase of the so-called "road map" peace plan.

Under the plan, Israel is to freeze settlements, while the Palestinians must disarm and rein in militants.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei