U.S. Mideast envoy shuttles between Jerusalem, Ramallah

by David Harris

JERUSALEM, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Middle East special envoy George Mitchell arrived in Ramallah on Tuesday afternoon to meet Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, shortly after holding talks in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

U.S. envoy George Mitchell waves upon his arrival for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah September 15, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Netanyahu and Mitchell agreed to meet again on Wednesday to see if there is any chance of agreement on the settlements issue, paving the way to direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

ISRAELIS, PALESTINIANS DIFFER ON SETTLEMENTS

As Mitchell made the trip to Ramallah, Israeli and Palestinian politicians were interviewed on their respective radio stations to make clear their stances with regard to any cessation of Israeli construction work in West Bank settlements.

Hawkish Israeli government ministers are insisting there be no freeze of building to take into account what Israel calls "natural growth" in the settlements and that Israel must be allowed to continue construction in the Arab-dominated eastern half of Jerusalem, which is deemed occupied territory by the United Nations.