Arab League agrees to give US one month to revive talks

Foreign ministers meeting in Libya back Abbas's decision to stop negotiations as long as Israeli building in West Bank settlements continues; express hope the US will continue to pressure J'lem to renew freeze.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS, HILARY LEILA KRIEGER

OCTOBER 9, 2010 04:28

Abbas Moussa 311 (photo credit: Associated Press) — Abbas Moussa 311

(photo credit: Associated Press)

Foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab League agreed Friday to give the United States another month to try to persuade Israel to renew the moratorium on West Bank settlement construction and keep Mideast peace talks from collapsing.

The league also announced that it supports Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's decision to stop peace talks with following Israel's refusal to halt building, according to Reuters.

"The Israeli government was given the choice between peace and settlements, and it has chosen settlements," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said. "It (Israel) alone bears the responsibility for this."

"We support the Palestinian president's position calling for a complete halt of all settlement activities in order to resume negotiation," the Arab League's deputy Ahmad Bin Helli said as he read a statement issued after the ministerial meeting.

But the ministers also said they would resume meetings in a month to study alternatives and decide on next steps, giving the United States some breathing room.

Aides have said Abbas wants to avoid the impression that he is quitting talks, and instead sought to buy more time for US diplomacy. "The US effort should continue to safeguard what remains of the peace process," senior Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdaineh said.

"The Arab follow-up committee will convene another meeting in coming few weeks to study the alternatives and the ideas that were presented by the president," Rdainah told Reuters.

Radainah did not specify any of the "alternatives" mentioned by Abbas at the meeting.

The Israeli government had no immediate comment.