Abbas urges for a halt to settlement construction

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, says that he was prepared to return to peace talks if Israel agreed to halt settlement construction for three months.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a news conference in Berlin February 1 , 2010. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Abbas made the comments at a news conference in Berlin after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday. The Palestinians had earlier demanded that Israel first commit to a total freeze of settlement construction for 6 months, but scaled back their demands to three.

Israel has agreed to slow down construction in the West Bank for 10 months, but not in East Jerusalem, a disputed section of the city claimed by both sides.