Abbas puts condition on peace talks
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said he is prepared to resume peace talks with Israel on condition that a ceasefire between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants can be reached.
A day after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice encouraged the two sides to resume negotiations, Mr Abbas said: "Certainly the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations must be resumed, but after reaching calm."
Mr Abbas halted statehood talks with Israel on Sunday after an Israeli offensive in Gaza killed more than 120 Palestinians.
Israel ended the five-day attack on Monday but said it would send troops back into the Hamas-controlled territory if rocket attacks on Israel continued.
A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel would not have to carry out military action if the shooting stopped.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
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