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"The Palestinians cannot return to peace talks at this time because of "fundamental disagreements" with Israel on what should be on the agenda, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview published Thursday.
Abbas rebuffed an appeal by President Barack Obama that both sides get back to the table promptly.
The Palestinian leader said he wants to avoid a crisis with the Obama administration at any cost, but stressed that "there is no common ground for discussion" with Israel's hardline leader, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has said two key issues — a partition of Jerusalem and a repatriation of Palestinian refugees — are not up for discussion. The Israeli prime minister retreated from assurances given by his predecessor, Ehud Olmert, who held talks with Abbas last year.
The Palestinian leader has insisted that negotiations pick up where they left off with Olmert, adding that progress was made during those talks on drawing a border between Israel and a future Palestinian state.
Abbas, who is in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said that even at the risk of alienating Obama, he cannot return to talks without a clear agenda."
moreNetanyahu: No peace until Palestinians accept Israel as Jewish state<
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"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Haaretz on Wednesday that he would not agree to a Palestinian demand that Israel accept the 1967 borders as a condition for renewing peace negotiations.
Netanyahu also gave a condition of his own, saying Thursday that he would never drop his demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"I told Abu Mazen (Abbas) I believe peace hinges first on his readiness to stand before his people and say, 'We ... are committed to recognizing Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people'," Netanyahu said.
"I will not drop this subject and other important issues under any final peace agreement," Netanyahu said."
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