‘Abbas: Waiting for Israelis to Formulate Policy

Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud ‘Abbas said on Saturday that he was willing to resume talks with Israel, but was waiting for the new Israeli government to formulate policy in order to do so. ‘Abbas was speaking in Cairo where he met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak following talks in Washington with United States President Barack Obama and in advance of Obama’s visit to the region this week. The American leader will deliver a major address intended to define the position of the United States vis-à-vis the Muslim world. ‘Abbas has maintained that he will not negotiate with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu until the latter embraces the concept of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Israeli building in post-1967 territories is halted. While that has not happened, both ‘Abbas and Netanyahu are under intense American pressure to show movement in peace negotiations. Following the White House meeting, Obama reiterated his demand that Israel halt all construction in post-1967 territories.