Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas said on Sunday Israel would be blamed if resumed direct peace talks with Israel failed over the settlements issue. "I have to say, and we told all parties including the United States before accepting renewed talks, that the Israeli government will bear sole responsibility of the risk of failure of the talks if settlement activities continue in Palestinian territories occupied in 1967," he said in a televised speech.
"In these decisive moments for the history of our region, we hope to find in Israel a partner capable of taking responsible decisions ahead of an end to the occupation, and a true guarantee of security for the Palestinian and Israel peoples," he said.
"We support the need of Israel and our people for security, but this cannot be a pretext to justify settlement activities and taking away other people's land and rights.
"Our position on settlement and its illegality has not changed," Abbas said.
