Palestinian officials in Ramallah have accused the US Administration of deceiving and misinforming the Palestinian Authority with regards to the peace talks with Israel.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) shakes hands with Saeb Erekat, April 2013. – Photo: REUTERS

The officials told the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper that they were concerned about the US Administration’s role in the peace talks with Israel, especially its position on plans to build new homes in settlements and east Jerusalem neighborhoods.

The officials met with PA President Mahmoud Abbas last Thursday and heard from him about the peace talks with Israel.

According to the newspaper, some of the Palestinian officials accused the US Administration of “deception and misinformation” in order to keep the PA at the negotiating table with Israel

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The officials also expressed concern that the US Administration would deceive the PA into accepting a state with provisional borders, the newspaper said.

It quoted Abbas as telling the officials: “I have told the US Administration 10 times, and I’m ready to tell them again that we won’t accept any solution that contradicts the Palestinian vision.”

A senior Palestinian official told Al-Hayat that US Secretary of State John Kerry gave the Palestinians assurances that Israel would decrease construction in settlement blocs. The official also claimed that Kerry promised that Israel would halt construction in settlements outside the blocs during the peace negotiations.

“It’s obvious that Kerry was either deceived by the Israelis or that he’s deceiving us in order to keep us at the negotiating table,” the official said.

Some Palestinian officials also voiced concern over talks between the US and Israel regarding shared security interests once a political solution is reached. One official complained that the Palestinians were not party to these talks.

View original Jerusalem Post publication at: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/PA-officials-accuse-US-of-deception-and-misinformation-on-peace-talks-323374