Senior Palestinian and Israeli officials on Wednesday expressed doubts over the success of the U. S.-sponsored direct peace negotiations between the two sides, which had kicked-off in Washington this week, and will last for nine months.
A well-informed source, which spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that after the first meeting that was held in Washington this week between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, "the Palestinian side wasn't disappointed after Israel insisted on resuming the talks from the beginning."
However, the source which is closed to the Palestinian negotiations department in Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), expressed satisfaction after the American side reiterated that the time limit for the negotiations to achieve its goals is nine months.
The direct peace negotiations had stopped in October, 2010 after the Palestinians protested against the Israeli government's plans not to stop settlement building in the West Bank and in east Jerusalem. The direct talks were resumed on Monday this week.
"It is still premature to speak about a direct meeting to be held between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," said the source, adding "the two men are the only authorized officials to debate the outstanding issues and resolve them."
The Palestinians are very much concerned that Israel would undermine the direct negotiations by insisting on not to freeze the settlement building and to be strict in other issues like security and borders, according to the source, who added that the "American pressures on Israel is not enough."
Yasser Abed Rabbo, the PLO executive committee secretary general told "Voice of Palestine" Radio that the first round of the talks in Washington focused on preparing for the measures and procedures of launching the talks as well as setting up the time schedule for the negotiations.
He stressed that tremendous difficulties are waiting the negotiations, referring to the question of the settlement building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. He went on saying that "above all, the Israeli practical measures on the ground would make the negotiations more difficult."
"In case the Israeli government approves a plan of more building in the settlements, this would mean that the negotiations will fail. Presenting goodwill gestures is not the main goal and won't change the situation," said Abed Rabbo, adding "the Palestinians had already told the American side about this fact."
Meanwhile, Israeli Radio reported that Israeli officials in the government called on the Palestinian side to declare what are the concessions they would make in order to succeed the negotiations. They said that Israel was damaged for deciding to release 104 prisoners involved in killing Israelis.
The Israeli government had only agreed upon the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners from its jails as a goodwill gesture once the talks are started. The prisoners will be gradually released depends on the success of the direct negotiations.
On Monday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Israeli Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni held a first direct meeting in Washington to agree on the resumption of the direct peace negotiations between the two sides. The talks were sponsored by the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
Kerry said at a news briefing in Washington that he held a joint meeting with the chiefs of the two delegations, adding that coming round of talks between the two sides will be held within the coming two weeks either in Israel or in the West Bank.
He said that the first round of talks "was positive and constructive," adding that the two sides agreed to present the most substantial issues on the negotiations table to reach a peace agreement in nine months. Kerry didn't refer to any Israeli commitments to halt settlement activities.
Kerry also announced after the first meeting between the Israeli and the Palestinian negotiators that within the coming few days, they would carry out steps of goodwill gestures aiming at improving the situation in the West Bank and Gaza without referring what are these steps.
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