国际英语新闻：PNA: peace talks remain frozen until settlement stops

RAMALLAH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Saturday said peace talks with Israel will remain frozen unless Israel stops its settlement activities.

"The negotiations would remain stalled and frozen if Israel did not stop settlement activities in the lands that it has occupied in 1967, including Jerusalem," said Nabil Abu Rdineh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"If the international community, mainly the U.S. administration, is not ready to put pressure on Israel, things will remain stalled, " he added.

The U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell met Abbas on Friday in a desperate attempt to resume the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Prior to Mitchell's visit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would preserve troops on the eastern side of the future Palestinian state. Abu Rdineh described Netanyahu's remarks as "an obstacle to get back to the negotiations."

The Palestinians say they can't resume the talks while Israel continues its settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and eating up the land of the sought statehood.