BREAKING NEWS

Erekat: 'Settlement freeze in exchange for direct talks'

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat expressed pessimism about direct talks with Israel in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, despite hopes expressed at US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's meeting.
"The key to direct talks is in the hand of Prime Minister Netanyahu," Erekat told Reuters. "The minute he announces a [full] settlement freeze, the minute he announces the resumption of final status [talks] where we left them in December 2008, we will have direct talks."