Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that the Palestinians are awaiting responses from Israel over the proposals the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has offered in a bid to reach a settlement with Israel, Xinhua reported.
The proposals involve security and borders, two of the final status thorny issues, Abbas told journalists as he toured a construction project in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
George Mitchell, the U.S. envoy leading proximity talks between Israel and the PNA, would carry the Israeli responses when he visits the region probably on Thursday, Abbas added.
"If there were positive responses from the Israeli side, it would be good and might encourage us to go to direct negotiations, " Abbas explained, adding the Palestinians have not yet heard any offer from Israel since the U.S.-sponsored indirect talks kicked off in May.
Abbas, who will see Mitchell Thursday, will reiterate that the Palestinians are sticking to their conditions that Israel has to freeze settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in order to give a chance for a possible resumption of face-to- face negotiations.