Abbas: Israel wants to thwart talks before they start

Spokesman of Palestinian Presidency Nabil Abu Rdeieneh, today accused Israel of trying to thwart final status talks due to kick off Wednesday by launching offensive against the Gaza Strip.

"The Israeli government's determination to continue the offensives, assassinations and expanding settlements boost the doubts about the Israeli intentions regarding the negotiations," he told reporters.

"This is an awful crime and aggression,"he said, adding that "It is difficult to go on with the negotiation process under the assassinations, deliberate killing, land confiscation and other procedures that don't suit the spirit of the peace process."

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) said that final status issues can't be seriously treated as long as Israel continues settlement expansion in the West Bank.

PLO Executive Committee Secretary General Yasser Abed Rabbo today told Voice of Palestine that serious doors to deal with the final status issues can not be open in the shadow of the Israeli settlement.

Abed Rabbo said that US-backed Roadmap peace plan, which calls on Israel to freeze the settlement activities, can not be separated from the talks on the final issues.

He disclosed that the Palestinian negotiating crew have negotiated with Israeli counterparts during Monday's meeting over an Israeli plan to expand one of settlements near Jerusalem.