Having waited a few days after Mitchell’s visit so as to preserve a some appearance of independence, Abbas has announced his readiness to continue peace talks with Israel.
Abbas ‘only’ wants a three-month Jewish construction freeze in East Jerusalem, which would confirm that Israel is ready to negotiate away its capital. With negotiations underway, the Israeli government won’t be able to resume the construction on a meaningful scale.
Abbas has also demanded that the talks start from Olmert’s maximum offer, which included the Temple Mount.
