Talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority appear to have reached a deadlock despite US claims of progress. According to media reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem Wednesday that West Bank settlement construction will continue when a partial freeze expires at the end of the month. Abbas is said to have repeated his vow to walk away from the talks if the settlement construction resumes. US Middle East envoy George Mitchell would say only the two sides addressed “tough issues.”

George Mitchell: “In this evening’s meeting, President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu resumed yesterday’s discussion of core issues and key challenges to this process. While today, as in the past, what I’m able to share with you is limited, I will say that the two leaders are not leaving the tough issues to the end of their discussions; they are tackling upfront and did so this evening.”