PLO to decide Palestinian position after settlement freeze dropped
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The decision-making body of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) will meet Friday after Washington could not persuade Israel to halt building Jewish settlements in the West Bank, an official announced Thursday.
Stopping the construction has been a central condition by the Palestinians to resume stalled peace talks with Israel.
President Mahmoud Abbas will chair the meeting of the PLO's Executive Committee, said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the committee.
The meeting will draw up a Palestinian position to be declared before any U.S., Arab or international effort regarding the fate of the peace process, Ashrawi said.
"We should come out with a Palestinian policy to show it to the concerned parties in order to reach comprehensive support to the Palestinian right," she added.
Yesterday, Abbas received a verbal message from the U.S. administration that Washington was considering holding separate talks with the Palestinians and Israel to try to revive the peace negotiations.
The negotiations stopped in September, when Israel allowed a partial moratorium on building to expire. The Palestinians want Israel to completely halt the construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which --along with Gaza-- would form the future Palestinian state.
