BICOM

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat yesterday said that an initial framework agreement could be reached between Israel and the PA by the end of the nine-month timeframe set aside for current peace talks.

With no significant breakthrough having been made in peace negotiations since they resumed in July, US President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry earlier this month floated the idea of brokering a framework agreement to address core issues for a final deal. The US State Department clarified that this would not be an interim deal, which the PA has said it would not accept.

Erekat yesterday became the first senior PA figure to indicate agreement for the idea of a framework agreement. He told the Palestinian Ma’an news agency that with Israel’s cooperation it would be possible to reach such an agreement to “specify the borders, percentage of the [land] swaps, security arrangements, Jerusalem status, refugees” and other key issues to be discussed in final status talks. Erekat predicted “Once you reach the framework agreement, between that day to reach a comprehensive treaty, on all core issues… you need six to 12 months in the best case.”

Meanwhile, Israel Radio reports this morning that the United States has asked Israel’s government not to announce new West Bank construction plans in conjunction with the expected release of a third batch of Palestinian prisoners later this month, as it is a “sore point” for Palestinians. Paving the way for the resumption of peace talks in July, Israel agreed to release 104 long-term Palestinian prisoners in four stages. Following the release of the first two groups, Israel’s government announced West Bank construction plans in an apparent attempt to pacify those opposing the prisoner releases. The report cites Israeli government sources saying that West Bank construction will continue in accordance with previous agreements with the United States.