By NNN-KUNA,
Ramallah : The meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was overshadowed by the dossiers of Jewish settlements and Jerusalem.
Shortly ahead of the meeting at Olmert’s Jerusalem residence Monday, the Palestinian leader said that a deal would be difficult if Israel does not stop expanding Jewish settlements.
Earlier on Sunday, Israel announced plans to build 900 more homes for settlers in East Jerusalem, which is an Israeli-occupied Palestinian land.
Palestinians hope to establish the capital of their future state in East Jerusalem.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told a news conference in Ramallah that the meeting was overshadowed by recent Israeli settlement decisions.
He drscribed the divergent views between both sides on Jewish settlement activities during the meeting as deep and strong.
He called on Israel to honour pledges it had made during the Annapolis peace conference, and to give up the policy of dictating terms, which undermines the basics of the peace process.
Israel always make test balloons regarding the so-called final status issues, as the Palestinian side holds fast to the peace process goals, including a Palestinian statehood on the pre-1967 border, he said.
Meanwhile, Olmert’s Office said both leaders had stressed the continuation of the political process during the meeting in spite of Olmert’s troubles, referring to allegations of corruption against him.
He quoted Olmert as vowing to work to reach a deal on a Palestinian state before the end of this year.
Israel Radio quoted Olmert as raising his eyebrows at the beginning of the meeting over a recent call by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to deny Israel membership, citing the Jewish settlement activities.
Olmert said that such a call ran counter to the nature of Israel-Palestine relations.