JERUSALEM // An Israeli envoy will submit a letter to the Palestinian president regarding the possibility of substantive peace talks, said officials from both sides Saturday. The modest exchange is the highest-level communication between the two sides in months.
Yitzhak Molcho, a representative of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will meet President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday evening in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinians' government.
Molcho will submit a written response to a note that Palestinian negotiators gave to Netanyahu last month that described their positions if talks were to resume, said a Palestinian official who spoke anonymously, citing the issue's sensitivity. An Israeli official confirmed the visit. He also spoke on condition of anonymity.
The communication by note demonstrates how thoroughly negotiations to carve out an independent Palestinian state have collapsed. Four months ago, preliminary meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officials in the Jordanian capital Amman also stalled.
The last substantive talks fell apart in 2010, in large part over construction in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Palestinian officials say they cannot negotiate while Israel builds homes in territories they claim for their future state. They claim talks give the Israelis political cover to expand their presence there.
Israel says talks should resume without preconditions, and that all issues, including Jewish settlements, will be addressed.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE (+4 GMT)
Brackets denote aggregate score
Tuesday:
Roma (1) v Shakhtar Donetsk (2), 11.45pm
Manchester United (0) v Sevilla (0), 11.45pm
Wednesday:
Besiktas (0) v Bayern Munich (5), 9pm
Barcelona (1) v Chelsea (1), 11.45pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs
Engine: 5-litre V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 505Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km
Price: Dh260,500
EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE
Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)
Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1
Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)
Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)
Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)
Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)
Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)
Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)
Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)
Source: Emirates
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5