However, both the two Middle East feuds have blamed each other to lay preconditions for the talks, thus questioning the other side's faith.
The Israelis accused the Palestinian National Authority's demand to freeze the Jewish settlements construction of hindering the negotiations as a precondition. While Ramallah asserted that Israel has imposed conditions for the talks as repeatedly mentioning its "unchangeable" requirements in the future deal.
Netanyahu's remarks on Sunday echoed his speech at Bar Ilan University last year, where he said he would accept a demilitarized Palestinian statehood when the Palestinians recognize Israel as the national homeland of Jews.
The speech was quickly slammed and rejected by the Palestinians and the Arab world, who criticized the Israeli prime minister of presenting preconditions for establishing the Palestinian state. " Netanyahu will not find any Palestinian to talk to under the conditions he imposed on the creation of the Palestinian statehood, " Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian negotiator, said at that time.
Asked whether Netanyahu's remarks on Sunday are preconditions to the talks, Israeli Prime Minister Office's spokesman Mark Regev firmly denied. "They are not preconditions, and they are just the Israeli positions brought into the peace talks," Regev told Xinhua via phone.
Related:
U.S. invites Israeli, Palestinian leaders to direct peace talks in Washington
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Friday the United States has invited the Israeli and the Palestinian leaders to launch Middle East peace direct talks on Sept. 2 in Washington D.C..
"I have invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas to meet on Sept. 2 in Washington D.C. to relaunch direct negotiations to resolve all final status issues," Clinton said at a State Department special press briefing, joined by U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell. Full story
PLO agrees to direct talks with Israel
RAMALLAH, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said early Saturday that it accepted a United States invitation to resume direct peace negotiations with Israel.
The PLO executive committee made the decision after an emergency meeting chaired by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday night, the Palestinian state-run news Agency "Wafa" reported. Full story
Special Report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts
