BICOM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s envoy Yitzhak Molcho and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat agreed to meet again next week in Amman, after a meeting yesterday that lasted more than three hours in the Jordanian capital. Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, who acted as host at the meeting, said afterwards that the meeting was ‘positive’, and that core issues were discussed. He said that the Palestinian presented proposals on borders and security and that the Israeli promised to consider these in the coming days.

This is the first occasion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received documents representing Palestinian proposals for the borders of a future Palestinian state. In the past, PM Netanyahu has insisted that such issues be addressed as part of direct negotiations. Molcho, for his part in the Amman meeting, presented an overview of points that Israel considers essential in any future agreement. He also said that he would in the future present an Israeli document responding to the Palestinian one, on the issue of borders and security arrangements.

After the meeting, US State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland welcomed the resumption of face-to-face contact between Israelis and Palestinians. Nuland also indicated that 26 January Quartet deadline for the resumption of direct talks was not as much of an issue as long as the parties continued negotiations.

Meanwhile, at the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed yesterday’s talks. “The secretary-general encourages the parties to build on this meeting and to continue working to establish forward momentum toward a lasting peace,” said a statement issued by his office.