Abbas: Palestinian peace negotiators quit over absence of progress

Palestinian peace negotiators resigned over a lack of progress in talks with Israel, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said.

Abbas said he would try to convince the negotiating team to change its mind or find new negotiators, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing an Abbas interview with Egyptian CBC television. The Palestinian leader said he would need a week to get his team back in place.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Wednesday in a statement to Reuters TV that negotiations with Israel were frozen over the announcement of new housing construction in the settlements.

Meanwhile, Israeli lawmakers called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt peace talks over Wednesday’s stabbing death of an Israeli soldier in northern Israel by a Palestinian residing illegally in Israel, The Jerusalem Post reported.