BICOM

During exploratory talks in Amman on Wednesday, Israel presented to the Palestinians its position on borders for a future Palestinian state meeting the 26 January deadline set by the Quartet, according to media reports in the Israeli press. This is the first time Israel’s negotiators have presented Israel’s border principles since talks were launched in Amman several weeks ago.

Israeli officials, speaking to Haaretz, said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s envoy, Yitzhak Molcho, presented chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat with Israel’s position on the future border between Israel and the Palestinian state. Molcho’s presentation included a series of basic principles, without any maps or percentages of land to be swapped. Chief Following Palestinian requests for additional information, Israeli negotiators asked to set an additional meeting in the coming days to continue the talks.

Meanwhile, intensive international effort is now underway to keep the talks in Jordan on track. Before the meeting between Molcho and Erekat, PA President Mahmoud Abbas said that the talks with Israel ended without results. US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said on Thursday that the talks had been valuable for both sides. “They have clarified some issues. There are some things that they need to work on at home on both sides. And that perhaps a small pause, and then to come back with some fresh ideas will be helpful,” she said.