Abbas rejects compromise on Israeli settlements

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Friday rejected any compromise that does not guarantee a "complete halt" to Israeli settlement activity, his advisor Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP.

"A total freeze must be maintained on settlement activity in the Palestinian territories, including in Jerusalem. We reject any partial solution," he said two days before a 10-month partial moratorium on settlement construction in the occupied West Bank ends.

"Partial solutions do not create a suitable climate for the pursuit of negotiations," Abu Rudeina said of the direct talks with Israel that resumed at the beginning of the month after a 20-month break.

Earlier Friday, a senior Israeli government official who asked not to be identified raised the possibility of a compromise on settlement construction just ahead of the scheduled ending of curbs that threatened to derail the peace talks.

"Israel is prepared to reach a compromise acceptable to all parties," the official said when asked about U.S. President Barack Obama's call for the moratorium to be extended.

But he also stressed that "there cannot be zero construction" in West Bank settlements.

He added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "making intensive efforts to reach such a compromise before the expiration of the moratorium on Sept. 26."

A total freeze must be maintained on settlement activity in the Palestinian territories, including in Jerusalem. We reject any partial solution

Nabil Abu Rudeina

Some in Israel have proposed a compromise -- for example, that building might resume in some places but not return to the relatively unfettered construction that prevailed before the restrictions were imposed last year, under heavy U.S. pressure.

Abbas himself appeared to back away from the extension demand in comments late Tuesday to prominent American Jewish figures. "I cannot say I will leave the negotiations, but it's very difficult for me to resume talks if Prime Minister Netanyahu declares that he will continue his (settlement) activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem," he said, according to a transcript of the event obtained by AP.

The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations later said the comments had been misconstrued, but did not deny them outright.

On Thursday, two senior Palestinian officials told the AP that President Obama's special Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell was indeed leading a mediation effort, speaking directly with Netanyahu and Abbas.

There cannot be zero construction

A senior Israeli official

Some flexibility

The officials, who are close to the negotiations, said the Palestinians are willing to show "some flexibility" on the issue. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

They said one proposal being considered was that Israel would resume building new projects only in some areas, probably in communities close to the Israeli border and likely to be retained by Israel in a future deal as part of a land swap. That idea has been floated by Israel's relatively moderate deputy premier, Dan Meridor.

Obama on Thursday firmly restated his conviction the moratorium should be extended.

Abbas welcomed Obama's remarks, "especially his call for a halt of the settlement activities and for the creation of a Palestinian state."

"We also welcome the huge efforts exerted by President Obama and his administration to push forward the peace process," he told AFP.

The U.S. administration also said on Thursday it was proposing "ideas" to Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in a bid to break the stalemate over settlements.

"You have stated positions on both sides that are incompatible and we are offering our ideas on how we might see movement on both sides that could allow us to continue to move forward," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.