Abdullah: 'Future generations will judge us on the talks'
Jordanian King meets with Herzog, says "this is a historic opportunity;" PA spokesman: No news from US on potential freeze compromise.
By JPOST.COM STAFFKing Abdullah(photo credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Future generations will look back on this period and judge the decisions that are being made, said King Abdullah II following a meeting with Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog in Amman on Tuesday.This, said the king, is "the moment of a historic opportunity...and it should not be missed."RELATED:Jordan postpones appointing new ambassador to IsraelEditorial: Keep talking"We must make all possible efforts to move towards peace through the direct talks," he added.King Abdullah and Herzog discussed how to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, following a meeting between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, US envoy George Mitchell and the king on the subject on Sunday.After that meeting, Abbas told reporters in Amman that despite serious issues blighting the peace talks, he would continue to "search for solutions."Last month the Jordanian leader praised Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for their seriousness at trying to arrive at a peace agreement.A spokesman for Abbas on Tuesday expressed pessimism about the continuation of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, blaming Israel's refusal to halt building in West Bank settlements for the impasse in negotiations.Nabil Abu Rudineh, speaking after a meeting between Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, added that the Egyptians agreed with the Palestinian viewpoint that the peace talks cannot resume as long as Israel continues building in the settlements.The presidential spokesman stated that the Palestinians have heard no news from the US about a potential compromise that would allow for the two sides to return to the negotiating table.
