Report: Abbas agrees to indirect talks with Israel

Senior Palestinian sources told Haaretz newspaper yesterday that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas had accepted a US proposal to hold indirect talks with Israel under the mediation of US Middle East Envoy George Mitchell. The sources said that Abbas had additional comments he wanted the US to clarify and also planned to consult Arab leaders before delivering his final response. Senior Israeli officials say that indirect talks are expected to begin later this month and hope this will result in direct talks between the sides. 

The talks will be the first time Israel and Palestinians will make political contact since Netanyahu became prime minister one year ago. Abbas returned last week from a visit to Europe and met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Both European leaders sent a clear message to Abbas calling for the resumption of negotiations as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN on Sunday, King Abdullah of Jordan said that the US needed to give its "undivided attention" to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and that time is running out to for a viable two-state solution. The Jordanian king was careful not to personally attack US President Barack Obama, who he said was "extremely committed". He added, however, that Obama was busy with many other matters and was facing political difficulties, while "we desperately need the undivided attention of the United States in order to set the right tone for negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians."

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