Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Reuters)

(VOVworld) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected a Quartet proposal to advance an economic program in exchange for peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine. The Quartet includes the US, the EU, Russia, and the UN. Speaking to Quartet envoys yesterday, Abbas said that the economic incentives are not enough to accept the resumption of stalled talks. He said Israel must stop its settlement construction and commit to a two-state solution with 1967 borders in order to revive direct talks.

Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the two sides to end provocations and continue efforts to build trust. Ban expressed his hope that it’s now time to establish a Palestinian state and reach a two-state solution. He stressed that the path to a solution is through dialogue resolving issues related to borders, security, refugees, and control of Jerusalem.