Abbas says no talks without Israeli settlement freeze

[xchrom]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/09/25/uk-palestinians-israel-idUKTRE78O1K620110925

(Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas repeated on Sunday his refusal to talk with Israel without a settlement freeze after international mediators, responding to his United Nations bid for statehood, urged negotiations within a month.

"We have confirmed to all that we want to achieve our rights through peaceful means, through negotiations -- but not just any negotiations," Abbas told a cheering crowd of thousands on his return to the West Bank city of Ramallah.

"We will not accept (negotiations) until legitimacy is the foundation and they cease settlement completely," he said, two days after presenting the application for Palestinian statehood and addressing the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed a year ago after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend a 10-month limited moratorium on construction in settlements in the occupied West Bank.

[moobu2]

1. They want Abbas to continue the pointless negotiating

so they can continue building and stealing land, building walls and putting up harassing roadblocks. Same ole same ole bullshit.

[Jefferson23]

2. You don't see the settlements as legitimate security concerns, oh my goodness.

:sarcasm: