Palestinian official claims peace talks in 'crisis' as Abbas heads to meet Kerry in Paris

Official says US considering extending talks for an additional year; PA cabinet accuses Netanyahu of "inciting" against Palestinians.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Abbas looking unhappy 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
Abbas looking unhappy 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
On the eve of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's scheduled meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris on Wednesday a Palestinian official said the peace talks with Israel were facing a "real crisis."
The official said that the US Administration was now considering extending the peace talks for at least another year.
A senior Palestinian official told AFP that Abbas would leave on Tuesday for France to discuss the peace talks with Israel  which he said had been requested by Kerry, who is currently in Abu Dhabi.
“The Palestinian positions are known and we have reiterated them at all the meetings with Kery and his advisors,” the official said.
On the eve of the meeting, Abbas said that he was dealing “positively” with US efforts to boost the peace process during the nine months of negotiations with Israel.
Abbas told reporters after meeting in Ramallah with the president of Peru, Ollanta Humala, “Solving the Palestinian issue is the key to peace and stability in the Middle East.”
Abbas said that the only way to solve the conflict is by establishing an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
Abbas said he briefed his guest on the “destructive impact of settlement construction.” He said he stressed the importance of solving the issue of Palestinian refugees in a just manner and on the basis of United Nations resolution 194.
In a separate development, the PA Cabinet in Ramallah on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of “inciting” against the Palestinians and their leaders.
“The real incitement lies in the insistence of the Israeli government on violating international and humanitarian laws on a daily basis,” the PA Cabinet said in a statement after its weekly meeting, headed by PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.
The statement accused the Israeli government of “encouraging settlers to step up their terrorist assaults on Palestinians and their properties.” It also accused the Israeli government of “encouraging (Jewish) extremists to storm the Aqsa Mosque every day under the protection of the occupation forces.”