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| Mid-East indirect talks 'begin' | Mid-East indirect talks 'begin' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have begun, the Palestinian chief negotiator has said. | Indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have begun, the Palestinian chief negotiator has said. |
| Saeb Erekat spoke after a meeting between US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. | Saeb Erekat spoke after a meeting between US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| Mr Mitchell will now shuttle between the two sides, with hopes that direct talks can start within four months. | Mr Mitchell will now shuttle between the two sides, with hopes that direct talks can start within four months. |
| The start of indirect talks in March was halted by a row over the building of new Israeli homes in East Jerusalem. | The start of indirect talks in March was halted by a row over the building of new Israeli homes in East Jerusalem. |
| Palestinians broke off direct peace talks after Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza in late 2008. | Palestinians broke off direct peace talks after Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza in late 2008. |
| "The proximity talks have started," Mr Erekat said in the West Bank city of Ramallah, with Mr Mitchell standing beside him. | |
| Mr Mitchell will shuttle between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to try to narrow their differences on the terms of Palestinian statehood. | |
| ANALYSIS By Tim Franks, BBC News, Jerusalem The air is thick with mutual mistrust at the prospect of negotiations. | ANALYSIS By Tim Franks, BBC News, Jerusalem The air is thick with mutual mistrust at the prospect of negotiations. |
| There are many Israelis who believe that the Palestinians are not sincere about talks, that the Palestinian leadership simply wants the Americans to impose a solution which meets its desires. | There are many Israelis who believe that the Palestinians are not sincere about talks, that the Palestinian leadership simply wants the Americans to impose a solution which meets its desires. |
| They also point out that the land earmarked for a Palestinian state remains politically divided between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, from where the Islamist Hamas movement is deeply hostile to this peace process. | They also point out that the land earmarked for a Palestinian state remains politically divided between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, from where the Islamist Hamas movement is deeply hostile to this peace process. |
| The Palestinians, for their part, believe that this right-wing Israeli government is far from committed to the idea of a Palestinian state, and simply wants negotiations which meander on pointlessly for years. | The Palestinians, for their part, believe that this right-wing Israeli government is far from committed to the idea of a Palestinian state, and simply wants negotiations which meander on pointlessly for years. |
| One diplomat close to the process said that expectations were at "zero" for now. The fact that after nearly 20 years of on-off negotiations, all that was now being offered was indirect talks through the US special envoy was, he said, "a badge of how far the Americans have mismanaged the situation". | One diplomat close to the process said that expectations were at "zero" for now. The fact that after nearly 20 years of on-off negotiations, all that was now being offered was indirect talks through the US special envoy was, he said, "a badge of how far the Americans have mismanaged the situation". |
| He has already held several meetings with Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the past week. | He has already held several meetings with Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the past week. |
| Correspondents say the talks mark the first concrete achievement in the Obama administration's Middle East peace efforts. | Correspondents say the talks mark the first concrete achievement in the Obama administration's Middle East peace efforts. |
| Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday that he hoped the indirect talks would quickly move to direct negotiations. | Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday that he hoped the indirect talks would quickly move to direct negotiations. |
| "Peace cannot be brought about from a distance, or with a remote control," he told a meeting of the Israeli cabinet. | "Peace cannot be brought about from a distance, or with a remote control," he told a meeting of the Israeli cabinet. |
| "We are neighbours of the Palestinians and they are our neighbours. Over time one cannot assume that that we will reach decisions and agreements on critical issues such as security and our national interests and their interests if we don't sit in the same room." | "We are neighbours of the Palestinians and they are our neighbours. Over time one cannot assume that that we will reach decisions and agreements on critical issues such as security and our national interests and their interests if we don't sit in the same room." |
| But as the talks got under way, there was scepticism from Israelis and Palestinians. | |
| "Proximity talks - we did it 15, 20 years ago, so I don't see anything new," said Tomer Haramati, a Jewish resident of Jerusalem. | |
| In Ramallah, Palestinian Sobhi Tabenjh agreed: "These negotiations are like the ones before. We move one step forward and one step back." | |
| The talks went ahead a day after receiving the backing of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. | The talks went ahead a day after receiving the backing of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. |
| The PLO's Executive Committee decided to back the talks after a three-hour meeting in the West Bank. | The PLO's Executive Committee decided to back the talks after a three-hour meeting in the West Bank. |
| However, the Palestinian Islamist group, Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, had urged the PLO to reject the talks. | However, the Palestinian Islamist group, Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, had urged the PLO to reject the talks. |
| "We warn the executive of PLO not to take any decision to resume talks with the enemy and to give cover to the Israeli occupation to commit more crimes against our people," a statement said. | "We warn the executive of PLO not to take any decision to resume talks with the enemy and to give cover to the Israeli occupation to commit more crimes against our people," a statement said. |
| Settlements issue | Settlements issue |
| Palestinians pulled out of talks in March after Israeli municipal authorities approved plans for new homes in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo. | Palestinians pulled out of talks in March after Israeli municipal authorities approved plans for new homes in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo. |
| The announcement was made during a visit to Israel by US Vice-President Joe Biden and caused great strain in Israeli-US relations. | The announcement was made during a visit to Israel by US Vice-President Joe Biden and caused great strain in Israeli-US relations. |
| ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN VIEWS Analysis: Bleak climate for talks US-Israeli row: Israeli views Peace talks: Palestinian views Q&A: Mid-East proximity talks | ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN VIEWS Analysis: Bleak climate for talks US-Israeli row: Israeli views Peace talks: Palestinian views Q&A: Mid-East proximity talks |
| The Palestinian Authority's formal position is that it will not enter direct talks unless Israel completely halts building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. | The Palestinian Authority's formal position is that it will not enter direct talks unless Israel completely halts building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. |
| In November, Israel announced a 10-month suspension of new building in the West Bank, under intense US pressure. | In November, Israel announced a 10-month suspension of new building in the West Bank, under intense US pressure. |
| But it considers areas within the Jerusalem municipality as its territory and thus not subject to the restrictions. | But it considers areas within the Jerusalem municipality as its territory and thus not subject to the restrictions. |
| Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 1967. It insists Jerusalem will remain its undivided capital, although Palestinians want to establish their capital in the east of the city. | Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 1967. It insists Jerusalem will remain its undivided capital, although Palestinians want to establish their capital in the east of the city. |
| Nearly half a million Jews live in more than 100 settlements in the West Bank, among a Palestinian population of about 2.5 million. | Nearly half a million Jews live in more than 100 settlements in the West Bank, among a Palestinian population of about 2.5 million. |
| The settlements are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. | The settlements are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. |