U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell on Monday urged Israelis and Palestinians to exercise self-restraint to proceed with proximity talks following the killing of four young Palestinians by Israeli troops in the West Bank.
"On behalf of the U.S. and President (Barack) Obama I urge all sides to exercise restraint. We need a period of calm to go forward with proximity talks," Mitchell told reporters following his talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman.
Mitchell said, "I had a good, positive and productive meeting with Abbas, and we discussed a range of issues including efforts to proceed with
proximity talks that lead to direct negotiations that lead to a comprehensive peace and the two-state solution, which entails the creation
of an independent Palestinian state that lives side by side with Israel."
"We will continue discussions during the few coming days with the involved parties to establish conditions to move forward with proximity talks and I am looking forward to returning to the region soon," Mitchell said at a
press conference.
At the joint press conference, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Israeli troops have killed four Palestinians under the age of 19 in Nablus over the past two days, labeling the action as a "very serious escalation."
"Israel in cold blood killed the four young Palestinians and that has major consequences and implications," Erekat said, condemning continued Israeli violations against the Palestinians and Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.
"Discussions between the Americans and the Israelis are still ongoing and we are waiting for their response to our request that Israel stops settlement activities and its plans to create 1,600 housing units in settlements in Jerusalem," Erekat told the reporters.
Erekat said it is time for making decision, accusing Israel of obstructing peace talks with its violations and settlement activities.
"We condemn Israeli defiance of the call by the international community and the Quartet to freeze settlement activities. Israel is starkly defying the will of the international community," the chief Palestinian negotiator said.
He said Abbas, who was in an Amman hospital for X-ray after he slipped in his house, was in a "good condition," noting that Abbas will head the
Palestinian delegation to the upcoming Arab Summit due to be held in Libya later this month.
Israelis and Palestinians agreed to launch the proximity talks brokered by Washington in early March, but the peace process quickly tumbled after Israel approved a proposal to construct 1, 600 housing units in a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinians reversed its decision to enter the proximity talks after the Israeli announcement on March 9 of the settlement plan in an area deemed by the Palestinians as the capital of their future state and claimed by Israel as part of its "indivisible capital."