The Arab League is currently awaiting a response from the administration of US President Barack Obama to a letter sent by the league's Arab Peace Initiative Committee laying down conditions for the launch of direct negotiations between the US-backed Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel.
League officials, meanwhile, rejected an Israeli decision to ignore an invitation from the "Quartet" (the US, EU, UN and Russia) to begin direct negotiations.
According to one PA official, the authority has not yet decided on whether or not it would enter direct talks.
“We hope the US response will pave the way for a decision to launch direct negotiations,” said Hisham Youssef, head of the Arab League Secretary-General's office, adding that the league was currently working to provide "the appropriate climate" for talks.
An Israeli official on Monday said his government would reject any preconditions for direct negotiations.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
