Lieberman plays down peace with Palestinians

Israel's hawkish foreign minister plays down chances of a quick deal in peace talks with Palestinians.

Avigdor Lieberman said he believes it is impossible to reach a comprehensive peace deal in the near future. His comments on Thursday came shortly after the Israeli prime minister said indirect negotiations could resume as early as next week.

Earlier, Arab League foreign ministers endorsed a US-backed plan for indirect US-mediated talks for four months to break the deadlock and revive the two-decade-old peace talks.

The talks have been suspended for more than a year over Israel's continued illegal settlement activities on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem Al-Quds.

Meanwhile, Hamas has slammed the decision of resuming negotiations and called for the resignation of acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq said Abbas lacks a national mandate to agree to the US-sponsored talks.

"Resuming these talks is selling illusions to the Palestinian people and playing with their emotions. Eighteen years of talks with Israel have achieved zero result. What is there to expect from an extra four months?"

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120065§ionid=351020202.