Abbas cools talk of Mofaz meeting

The spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that the meeting between Abbas and Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz has not yet been scheduled. According to the spokesperson, Nabil Abu Rudeina, the two will not meet this month.

Rudeina has also stressed this meeting should not be viewed as a resumption of negotiations.

Rumors of an upcoming meeting began circulating after the Kadima chairman, speaking to members of his party Thursday, called on Abbas to “put aside the dispatches, put aside the letters, enough chatter and preconditions — come and talk peace! Come now.”

According to Mofaz, who is a strong supporter of the two-state solution, “the Palestinians must know that our hand is extended to peace with those who are willing and able to decide. We will not have a better opportunity than this one.”

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat this week in Washington, DC. Clinton is expected to bring new ideas to the table regarding the resumption of peace talks.