Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has said that he is ready to resume direct talks with Israel based on a freeze of Jewish settlement activity as called for by the Middle East peace Quartet.He told journalists in the West Bank town of Ramallah on the eve of a visit by US envoy George Mitchell that Palestinians are ready to begin direct negotiations with Israel if the Quartet asks for them on the basis of its decisions of March 19. The Quartet has urged Israel and the Palestinians to resume talks on final-status issues with the aim of reaching a peace settlement within 24 months. Today, Mitchell is scheduled to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Abbas, before returning to Washington the next day.The Palestinians and Israelis have held indirect “proximity” talks with Mitchell as mediator since May but they have not held direct negotiations since Israel's war on Hamas-ruled Gaza in December 2008-January 2009.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has said that he is ready to resume direct talks with Israel based on a freeze of Jewish settlement activity as called for by the Middle East peace Quartet.He told journalists in the West Bank town of Ramallah on the eve of a visit by US envoy George Mitchell that Palestinians are ready to begin direct negotiations with Israel if the Quartet asks for them on the basis of its decisions of March 19. The Quartet has urged Israel and the Palestinians to resume talks on final-status issues with the aim of reaching a peace settlement within 24 months. Today, Mitchell is scheduled to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Abbas, before returning to Washington the next day.The Palestinians and Israelis have held indirect “proximity” talks with Mitchell as mediator since May but they have not held direct negotiations since Israel's war on Hamas-ruled Gaza in December 2008-January 2009.