RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestinian president says Israelis should choose peace over West Bank settlements.
Mahmoud Abbas spoke Thursday at a rally marking the sixth anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Yasser Arafat. Thousand attended, waving Palestinian flags.
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have stalled over Israel’s refusal to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, war-won territories the Palestinians want for their state.
The Palestinians say they won’t negotiate until all building stops. Israel says it can build until the sides reach a peace deal. The U.S. has failed to broker a compromise.
In his speech, Abbas said children on both sides should “taste coexistence … before the opportunity is lost.”
