PA suspends peace talks with Israel over Gaza violence

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The Palestinian Authority leadership in the West Bank on Saturday announced it was halting peace talks with Israel over Israel Defense Forces raids in the Gaza Strip, in which two IDF soldiers and at least 61 Palestinians were killed over the course of the day.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia notified Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the decision on Saturday evening."

<snip>

"Abbas called on Saturday for the United Nations Security Council to hold urgent discussions on the latest round of fighting in the Gaza Strip.

"The president has asked for an urgent session of the Security Council," Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah said in a statement, adding that Abbas had already contacted Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on this issue.

Hazem Abu Shanab, a senior member of the Fatah faction in Gaza, called the IDF incursion a "real massacre against all of us."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/959608.html

[Scurrilous]

1. U.S. calls for end to continued violence, return to peace talks

<snip>

"The United States called on Sunday for an end to clashes between Israel and the Palestinians and a resumption of peace negotiations after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas suspended talks with Israel.

"The violence needs to stop and the talks need to resume," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

Meanwhile, a State Department spokesman said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has no plans to call off a meeting this week with Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Earlier, Abbas spoke to Rice and urged her to pressure Israel to stop the violence.

" plans remain intact," department spokesman Rob McInturff said, adding: "We're encouraging Israel to exercise caution to avoid the loss of innocent life."

The U.S. statement was one a of a growing number of international voices calling on Israel to cease its attacks on the Gaza Strip."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/959837.html

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.