Fayad: There will be no peace agreement by end of 2008

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad predicted on Thursday that a final peace agreement would not be signed by the end of 2008, Israel Radio reported on Friday. Speaking during a visit in Texas, Fayad said that the peace talks were not advancing at the necessary pace, and that this was mainly due to Israel's negligence in dismantling illegal settlements and outposts in the West Bank. The PA prime minister also criticized Israeli military action in the West Bank, saying that the IDF operations harm the PA's standing, and sabotage Palestinians' efforts to enforce law and order in their territory.