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RAMALLAH, West Bank — Dozens of senior Palestinians on Saturday backed President Mahmoud Abbas’ refusal to negotiate with Israel as long as it builds in West Bank settlements, dealing a new setback to troubled U.S. efforts to salvage peace talks.
Israel refuses to extend a 10-month-old curb on settlement construction. Saturday’s unanimous decision by dozens of senior members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Abbas’ Fatah movement makes compromise increasingly unlikely.
“There will be no negotiations as long as settlement building continues,” said senior Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdeneh.
The Associated Press
