US ENVOY George Mitchell wrapped up his second round of shuttle diplomacy between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators yesterday as both sides condemned the actions of the other as violating the spirit of the peace talks.
Mr Mitchell met Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem before leaving the region.
Israeli officials reacted angrily to the Palestinian Authority boycott of goods made in West Bank Jewish settlements as Israeli newspapers showed images of Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad throwing such products onto a bonfire.
Israeli deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon said: “Anyone who burns Israeli products is encouraging violence.”
Mr Netanyahu also criticised the recent Palestinian campaign against Israel joining the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
During talks in Ramallah on Wednesday, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas presented Mr Mitchell with a list of Israeli “violations”, and urged the US to pressurise Israel to stop such “provocations”.
Included on the list was the recent killing of a 16-year-old in the West Bank who was allegedly shot by a settler. The Palestinians also listed recent comments by Israeli ministers indicating that construction would continue in occupied east Jerusalem.
The Palestinians have allotted four months for the indirect proximity talks, but few details have emerged to indicate if significant progress has been made to date.
Israeli leaders have said the Palestinians can raise core issues in the indirect talks, but agreements can only be thrashed out during direct negotiations, which should start as soon as possible.
Palestinians have linked direct talks to a total settlement construction freeze by Israel.
Israeli media reported yesterday that a package of Israeli concessions was imminent, including the removal of West Bank roadblocks, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the confiscation of settlement land to enable construction of a road to a new Palestinian city planned near Ramallah.
Israel yesterday released Mohammed Abu Tir (59), a prominent Hamas member of parliament. He was arrested as part of a massive Israeli sweep against the West Bank Hamas leadership in June 2006, a few days after militants in Gaza seized Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid.
Israel has released most of the Hamas leaders, although Mr Shalit remains in captivity.