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Saudi welcomes direct Israeli-Palestinian talks

The Saudi government welcomed the relaunch of US-sponsored direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians aimed at reaching a peace settlement in a year.

In a late-night session on Monday, the cabinet gave its backing to the plan for direct negotiations on a two-state peace settlement starting in Washington on September 2, SPA said.

The statement came a day after TheCustodianoftheTwoHolyMosquesKing Abdullah discussed the peace plans with visiting King Abdullah II of Jordan.

On Friday, the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators — the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and United States — said the talks on a treaty establishing an independent Palestinian state could be wrapped up in one year.

Saudi Arabia has played a key role in rallying regional support for its Arab land-for-peace initiative, based on a two-state solution with east Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.

The kingdom has at the same time also supported Palestinian resistance to direct talks unless Israel halts its Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

On Monday, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Israel must choose. “The choice of the Israeli government is settlement or peace, they cannot have both,” he said.