Hamas movement issued a statement on Thursday criticizing the Arab nations' support for the resumption of direct Palestinian-Israeli “peace” negotiations, maintaining that direct talks would only lead to "to more Palestinian suffering as Israel goes on constructing settlements."
 
"We reject any cover for the resumption of the direct talks with the Zionist occupation," Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza said. "This committee is not authorized to make concessions over the rights of our people."
 
In a letter addressed to the United States administration, the Arab League said Thursday it needed a clear timeframe, specific reference terms and a monitoring mechanism in order to support direct talks.
 
Radwan said that "the Arab cover would lead to more confiscation of lands, more demolition of houses in Jerusalem and the West Bank and more expansion of settlement."
 
“The Arab League committee should immediately withdraw this cover and reject any call for the resumption of direct or indirect talks," he continued.
 
The United States, on the other hand, lauded the development. "We're encouraged by what we've heard today coming out of Cairo," State Department Philip Crowley spokesman told reporters, adding that US President Barack Obama's administration is hopeful the negotiations resume soon.
 
The comments came after Arab officials meeting in Cairo agreed in principle Thursday to the holding of direct peace negotiations and left it up to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to decide when to start talks with Israel.
 
Crowley said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, acting on behalf of an Arab peace initiative, has sent a letter to Obama outlining ideas about how to move the process forward.
 
"We will, of course, be evaluating the ideas contained in that letter, and we'll be consulting further," Crowley said.
 
Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to be pinned down on a framework for negotiations. The Israeli prime minister has accepted the idea of Palestinian statehood with conditions but has ruled out giving up control of occupied east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their capital.
 
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