U.S. envoy urges Abbas

Change attitude Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on peace talks with Israel direaksi hard by the United States (U.S.).

Washington hopes that the Palestinians remain on the path of negotiations. Meanwhile, under the pretext of avoiding conflict, Israel sealed the West Bank region for 48 hours.

Hear the decision not to pursue peace talks with Israel, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell upset. Local time Thursday (11 / 3), 76-year diplomat contacted Abbas that when it was in Tunisia. "Mitchell urged him to cancel the boycott and resume peace talks," said one Palestinian official told Agence France-Presse reported yesterday (12 / 3).

However, Abbas did not move. He even asked Mitchell urged Israel to freeze expansion of Jewish settlements in disputed territory. Especially, the construction of 1600 houses in East Jerusalem as the blueprint set out in the Ramat Shlomo.

"We are extremely difficult to negotiate, either directly or indirectly, without the cancellation of the Israeli project," said Abbas, as revealed Saeb Erakat, the Palestinian negotiator.

However, Washington insists that hope to continue these important negotiations are still there. "Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not see it as a cancellation of peace talks," said Mitchell.

Maine senator was scheduled return to the Middle East next week. In a visit later, Mitchell hopes to come back to win the support of the Palestinians in peace talks the two countries.

Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu apologized for the publication of Ramat Shlomo blueprint that time was not right. New housing project was announced a day before the visit Jopseph U.S. Vice President "Joe" Biden and direct criticism of Washington. United Nations and the European Union (EU) joined in condemning the Israeli plan to expand Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem.

But, the Palestinians remain at its founding. Abbas and his government line saying that the core problem lies not in the timing of the publication of the blueprint Ramat Shlomo. But, at the Jewish settlements development plan itself. So far, the international community considers all Jewish settlements throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, illegal.

Meanwhile, Israel doubled the security in East Jerusalem yesterday. Especially around Al Aqsa Mosque and the Old City. They worried that such riots again broke out last week. In addition, Netanyahu government sealed the West Bank for 48 hours. Thus, no one that the Palestinians could enter Israel.

"We will only give permission to cross borders of Palestinian men over the age of 50 years to perform Friday prayer," said an Israeli police official as reported by the Associated Press.

But, they promised not to limit the number of women who cross borders. West Bank sealed off starting at midnight Thursday local time until midnight Saturday