JERUSALEM — A senior Palestinian official says President Mahmoud Abbas will quit Mideast peace talks if Israel resumes construction in West Bank settlements now that 10-month-old building restrictions have expired.
Palestinians have repeatedly threatened to quit U.S.-mediated talks relaunched earlier this month in Washington if Israel does not extend the freeze on new settlement construction that ended at midnight.
Israel has not offered to renew the restrictions, despite demands from Washington and the Palestinians to do so.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of Abbas’ negotiating team, told Israel Radio on Monday that renewed settlement activity will lead “to the breakdown of negotiations and to the breakdown of the political process.”