BRUSSELS, (PIC)-- Catherine Ashton, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs, affirmed in a letter that Mahmoud Abbas would accept direct talks with Israel and would give a definitive answer in this regard by Sunday or next week.
"Abbas is very close to agreeing to direct talks with Israel," Ashton said in a letter to foreign ministers revealed by different media sources.
"Abbas has requested a few more days for final consultations with Arab partners as well as with the Fatah and PLO executive bodies,” she wrote, pointing out that his talks with Israelis would kick off in late August
The European official also said that a statement would be issued by the international quartet earlier next week if both parties agreed to proceed to direct talks.
She claimed that the quartet's statement would demand Israel to halt all settlement activities in the West Bank and east occupied Jerusalem, and reach a full peace agreement with the Palestinians within 24 months on the basis of 1967 borders.
Abbas had vowed not to resume any kind of negotiations with Israel unless it freezes construction in settlements, but he changed his mind and engaged in indirect talks before declaring his intention recently to sit side by side with Israelis at the negotiations table.
In another incident, the Israeli Haaretz newspaper reported on Friday that a number of Palestinian citizens in Ramallah city were surprised on the first night of Ramadan to see the Palestinians Authority's security men walking together with Israeli soldiers in the city.
It added that security meetings took place in the city and were attended by head of Israel's central command Avi Mizrahi, and senior Israeli officers Nizan Alon and Yoav Mordechai.
The newspaper stressed that there are warm relations and extraordinary cooperation between the Israeli army and the PA security apparatuses in the West Bank, pointing out that this partnership foiled a number of resistance operations against Israel.
Many West Bank citizens, who wanted to cross into Jerusalem for Friday prayers, were also shocked to see for the first time yesterday joint Palestinian-Israeli security presence at Qalandia checkpoint that separates Ramallah from the holy city.
Eyewitness told the reporter of the Palestinian information center (PIC) that members of Abbas's security apparatuses were seen standing at the entrance to the checkpoint, while Israeli soldiers were seen in their usual positions inside the terminal.
They said that the job of Abbas's security men was to organize the flow of Palestinians into the terminal and search them and the Israeli soldiers, for their part, were allowing whoever they want to cross the checkpoint.
14/08/2010 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to agree to the resumption of direct talks with the Zionist entity within as little as two days, Israel Radio relayed on Saturday citing a report by Arabic newspaper A-Sharq al-Awsat.
Abbas is waiting for an anticipated statement from the Quartet to be released early next week before he will announce any decision on talks, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported on Friday.
Abbas may agree to direct talks next week if Israel agrees to pre-1967 borders, according to a letter found by Reuters on Thursday.
The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton reportedly said in the letter that Abbas would release a statement as early as next week, if both parties agreed to direct talks. Negotiations would begin before the end of the month.
"In principle, President Abbas should be in a position to give a definite answer by Sunday or early next week," Ashton wrote. "Abbas is very close" to proceeding to direct talks.
The so-called “Quartet” "should help President Abbas rally enough support, both at home and abroad, to engage in direct talks," Ashton reportedly added.
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