based Al-Madinah said the head of the Palestinian authority Mahmoud Abbas, following his talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, has made suspension of building settlements in the occupied territories a necessity for resumption of negotiations with Israel. "This development means that the Palestinian leadership is keen on avoiding fruitless negotiations with Israel," noted the daily. "The Palestinians are fighting for restoring their legitimate rights in line with the decisions of the international legitimacy, and the decision of Abbas not to conduct talks with Israel before suspension of settlements is a result of the Israeli intransigence". The daily believes that the meeting held between the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh yesterday will have a great significance because the meeting came within the framework of the Palestinian leader's consultations with the influential Arab leaders.
