国际英语新闻：Abbas submits new strategies in case U.S. fails to commit Israel to settlement freeze: offici

RAMALAH, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has presented "alternative strategies" to the Arab peace committee in case the United States failed to get an Israeli commitment to freeze settlement construction, a Palestinian official said Saturday.

"President Abbas' proposals were welcomed by the Arab leaders," Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh told the Palestinian Al-Aayyam daily.

The Arab League (AL) follow-up peace committee, which convened on Friday in Libya to discuss the stalled Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, endorsed a decision made by Abbas last week to suspend negotiations with Israel till it freezes settlement construction.

"The Arabs gave the U.S. one month to oblige Israel to freeze settlement building," he said, adding "the committee will also examine a package of alternatives presented by Abbas."

According to the daily, the alternatives include getting the U. S. recognition of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, approaching the UN Security Council or moving to the UN General Assembly to put the Palestinian territories under international custody.

Direct Palestinian-Israeli talks came to a standstill after Israel refused to renew its moratorium of settlement freeze.