Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he wanted to "surprise the sceptics" by reaching a settlement with the Palestinians at revived US-sponsored direct peace talks next month.
"I know there is a lot of doubt after the 17 years which have passed since the start of the Oslo (peace) process," Netanyahu told reporters at a weekly cabinet meeting. "We are seeking to surprise the critics and the sceptics, but in order to do this we need a real partner on the Palestinian side. It is possible to succeed with a hand extended in peace, but only if someone on the other side likewise extends one."
Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas have accepted a US invitation to relaunch direct peace negotiations in Washington on September 2 following a 20-month hiatus. It will be the latest in a series of attempts since secret talks in the Norwegian capital produced a 1993 "Declaration of Principles" on autonomy with the goal of a peace agreement which has yet to materialise.
The Palestinians insist talks should lead to the creation of an independent state, and sought an Israeli freeze on settlement activity for the talks to resume.
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