US special Mideast envoy mission without agreement

Watch Video

Play Video

US President Barack Obama's special Middle East envoy George Mitchell has ended his latest mission to the region without agreement on the terms of renewing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Mitchell met repeatedly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmound Abbas this week to try to pave the way for resuming negotiations. But chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says the Palestinians have insisted on a total halt to Israeli settlement activity before talks can take place.

Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian Negotiator, said, "We appreciated the efforts being exerted by senator Mitchell and his team. President Abbas reiterated our commitment to all our obligation emanating from phase one of the Road Map. And we once again reiterated that there are no middle-ground solutions for settlements. A settlement freeze is a settlement freeze."

The deep gaps between the Israeli and Palestinian positions raised doubt about Obama's plans to revive Middle East peace efforts. These include the possibility of holding a trilateral meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders next week in New York. The key disputes are over Israeli settlement expansion and whether peace talks should begin where they left off.