’Slaughterer Israeli’, PA Negotiators Meet: No Progress

A three-hour meeting between “Israeli” and Palestinian Authority negotiators held without the presence of US envoy Martin Indyk on Sunday ended without clear signs of progress.

PA sources revealed that the “Israeli” negotiator Tzipi Livni demanded that the Palestinians withdraw their applications for international treaties because the “Israelis” considered it a unilateral step.

The demand was rejected by the Palestinians who also refused to freeze the application – “refusing to even consider it,” said one source — and adding that there was no turning back.

The Palestinian team, led by Saeb Erekat and Majed Farraj, demanded a complete freeze of settlements in Occupied al-Quds and the West Bank, as an initial condition before discussing other issues.
The Palestinian team also demanded the release of a fourth group of Palestinian prisoners, without the option of exiling them, the sources said.
A Palestinian source close to the talks said a new meeting between the negotiators was set for Tuesday or Wednesday evening, with US envoy Martin Indyk due to attend.

Indyk, who presided over a meeting last Thursday, has since returned to Washington for consultations but is due to return on Tuesday, the source added.
The talks has since last week suffered a new blow when “Israel” said it would freeze the transfer of duties it collects on the Palestinians’ behalf.

The monthly $111 million in taxes collected by “Israel” represents about two-thirds of the Palestinian Authority’s income.
For his part, “Israeli” Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in a meeting with ambassadors posted in Tel Aviv on Sunday, blamed the Palestinians for the rapid deterioration in the talks.
“We were very close to an agreement with the Palestinians, a complex transaction which was being examined by the “Israeli” cabinet, but at the last moment the Palestinians broke their promises and submitted applications” to join international treaties, he claimed.

In parallel, he declared “We are ready to discuss and negotiate but we will not accept unilateral steps.”
A senior Palestinian official, Nabil Shaath, said the Palestinians still had “several options” and would not be deterred.
“”Israel’s” sanctions will not deter Palestinian steps to join international treaties and organizations,” he said.
The “Israeli” reprisals have sparked concern in Washington.

“We’ve seen these press reports, but we have not seen an official public announcement by the government of “Israel”,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.

“That said, we would regard such a development as unfortunate.
The talks hit an impasse two weeks ago when “Israel” refused to release as agreed a group of Palestinian prisoners and the Palestinians retaliated by seeking accession to several international treaties.