Israel, U.S. trying to get around Quartet's proposal

Israel and the United States are trying to evade an international formula aimed at reviving the peace process in the Middle East, a Palestinian negotiator said Sunday. "There is an attempt by Israel and, unfortunately, the United States to get around" the Quartet's call on Israel and the Palestinians to start proximity discussions on the borders and security issues, said Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian negotiator. Erekat said that Israel and the United States want the two issues to be discussed in direct negotiations, while the Palestinians refuse to hold any direct talks with Israel before it stops the Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In September, the Quartet, consisting of the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations, suggested months- long proximity talks in preparation for resuming the direct negotiations, which have been stalled for more than a year. The Palestinians have already submitted their vision regarding the borders of the future Palestinian state and related security issues to the Quartet's representatives, while Israel has not. To get back to the direct negotiations, Erekat said Israel must stop settlement activities and recognize the 1967 lines as the baseline of a two-state solution.