Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on Tuesday held inconclusive talks with George Mitchell, although the US Middle East envoy raised "ideas" for reviving peace negotiations with Israel. Mitchell returned to the region on Monday for the first time in months on a mission to salvage peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians a week after Washington admitted that direct negotiations were off the menu.
Although Israel has welcomed the idea of returning to so-called "proximity talks" the Palestinians have not yet agreed to participate, insisting they will not enter any negotiations while Israel builds settlements on occupied land. However, following the talks in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Palestinian officials said Washington's point man on the Middle East conflict had raised "ideas" for addressing the deadlock.
"Mitchell brought some US ideas," said Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina, without going into detail. "We will wait for the Arab Committee to discuss (them) and to decide," he said, referring to a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo on Wednesday which Abbas is due to attend. "We will continue discussions with the Arabs to decide the coming steps," Abu Rudeina said.