PLO officials went on the offensive and sought to blame Israel for the failure of exploratory contacts with Israeli negotiators as they met with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday.
PLO official Hanan Ashrawi told Ashton, "With the escalation of settlement activities in and around Jerusalem, the arbitrary arrests of Palestinian representatives and lawmakers, continued annexation of Palestinian land and natural resources, and the eviction and deportation of Palestinians, Israel is thwarting all efforts to resume talks and to honor its obligations under international humanitarian law.
Ashrawi's comments come amid other statements from Palestinian officials declaring that exploratory peace talks in Amman have ended due to what they describe as "Israeli intransigence." More
