Israeli, Palestinian negotiators meet for third time

JTA

JERUSALEM — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met for the third time this month in Jordan.

The talks began Saturday night and continued for several hours according to reports.

The sides agreed to meet again on Jan. 25, according to Palestinian sources, one day before a deadline set by the Mideast Quartet for a resumption of official talks.

Palestinian officials have said that the talks will not move forward unless Israel commits to a settlement construction freeze and agrees to the 1967 lines as the border of a Palestinian state. Israel has called for restarting negotiations with no preconditions.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has said that if Israel does not meet the conditions by the Sept. 26 deadline that the Palestinians would take “new” and “difficult” measures.