based al-Madina quoted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as saying that unprecedented pressures were put on him to accept direct negotiations with Israel adding that the statement of Abbas means that the Palestinian leadership believes that direct negotiations are fruitless as long as Israel is determined to go ahead on the path of its expansionist policy. The paper pointed out that the Palestinian leadership has presented three proposals to the US administration for starting direct negotiations adding that 'but the US administration has rejected the proposals'. Unfortunately Washington has not only turned down the proposals but it has threatened to impose sanctions on the Palestinian authority including severing relations and freezing economic aid to the Palestinian authority if the latter refuses to start direct negotiations with Israel. This provides a clear evidence that the American pledges to put pressure on Tel Aviva were not more than a lip service, the daily added.
