Jewish settlements dash peace hopes

Israel: Jewish settlers resumed building across the West Bank Monday after Israel allowed curbs to expire, dashing US hopes of keeping the Palestinians in fledgling peace talks. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas had repeatedly warned he would abandon US-backed negotiations with Israel should the Jewish state keep constructing settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend the moratorium on new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, which formally ended at midnight .

The United States said it was “disappointed” that the 10-month moratorium expired, and announced its envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, was on his way to the region in a bid to resolve the “dilemma.”

As bulldozers across the West Bank lumbered into action on Monday, Abbas said he would consult his Fatah movement and the Palestine Liberation Organisation this week and meet with Arab foreign ministers on October 4.

“After all these meetings we may be able to issue a position to clarify what is the Palestinian and Arab opinion on this matter,” Abbas said in Paris.

Netanyahu has urged Abbas to stick with the talks, which were launched on September 2 after a 20-month hiatus.

US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley praised Abbas for not immediately backing out of the negotiations saying his “restraint at this point is appreciated.”

But Washington is “disappointed” with the Israeli decision. “We recognise that given the decision yesterday we still have a dilemma to resolve,” Crowley said.

“One way or the other the parties have to find a way to continue direct negotiations. Britain and the European Union also expressed regret about the Israeli decision.

“I am very disappointed to hear that the moratorium has not been renewed,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague said. EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton expressed “regret” and said: “We are examining the consequences of this decision...”

Hebron, Tuesday, AFP