Abbas: If Settlement Freeze Ends, So Too Will Peace Talks

By Haaretz Service September 20, 2010

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said Monday that he would not continue “a single day” of direct peace negotiations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Israel refused to extend its construction freeze in West Bank settlements after it expires next week, AFP reported.

Abbas told AFP that “the negotiations will continue as long as the settlement remains frozen,” but stipulated “I am not prepared to negotiate an agreement for a single day more.”

The Palestinian leader’s remarks came a day after Netanyahu reiterated that he would not yield to growing international calls on Israel to extend a freeze on settlement building in the West Bank – and prevent peace talks from collapsing.

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