The Arab-Israeli peace process is a hair's breadth from failure following Israel's decision to build more settlements in annexed east Jerusalem, the Arab League's chief said on Tuesday. "We are a hair's breadth or less from announcing the failure of the peace process, given its evolution," Amr Mussa was quoted as saying by the official MENA news agency on Tuesday.
"The peace process is heading for failure because of Israel's lack of desire for peace," he said after Israel confirmed plans for a new settlement in annexed east Jerusalem.
Settlement activity on occupied Palestinian land sends "a strong message" that "Israel doesn't want peace because it is building settlements to try and change the demographic and geographic situation on the ground," Mussa conveyed. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas "has shown the Palestinian desire to achieve peace, but we find that the Israeli response is negative," he added.
"We may take a decision on the peace process in the coming weeks because in its current state it is a dead letter."
