Abbas to meet senior US official on peace process

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abba (L), US national security adviser Susan Rice A Palestinian official said on Tuesday that President Mahmoud Abbas will meet on Thursday in Ramallah with U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The U.S. official's visit is meant to revive peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, which officially ended last month, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee Hanna Amira told Voice of Palestine Radio.
The official held Israel responsible for the "collapse" of the peace talks because of its settlement activities and refusal to release the final group of long-term Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The nine-month U.S.-mediated peace talks ended on April 29 without making any tangible progress.
During the discussion period, the U.S. has tried to get the two sides to agree on a framework plan that would lead to final-status negotiations to end their prolonged conflict.
"If the U.S. seriously wants to play its role as a peace sponsor, it should convince Israel to give up its policies that undermine peacemaking," Amira said.
However, he added that the U.S. has always practiced pressure on the Palestinians and threatened to cut its financial aid to the Palestinian government in support of Israeli stances.
"The U.S. is trying to look like a peace mediator, but actually it is not," Amira pointed out.
Rice is expected to arrive in the West Bank city of Ramallah to hold discussions with Abbas. She will also meet with Israeli officials.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department denied on Monday reports that the U.S. has dismantled the negotiations team that mediates talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.
The Department added that the U.S. peace envoy Martin Indyk has returned for consultations with the US Administration.
Source: XINHUA