Israel seeks to convince PA not to seek UN recognition for a state

The Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has said that contacts are under way to resume the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.  He added that efforts continued to convince the Palestinians not to go the UN for recognition of a future Palestinian state. Speaking to the Israeli radio he said he believed that more European countries were supporting the resumption of Palestinian - Israeli negotiations and this might convince the Palestinians not to present what he called a one-side proposal to the UN. Meanwhile, the deputy Israeli Prime Minister Dan Meridor, reiterated the position spelled out recently by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel will not compromise on Jerusalem and the jewish settlement blocs, the long-term military presence in the Jordan Valley and in the Palestinian highlands overlooking the Jordan River. However, he claimed Israel was willing to offer what he called long-term, regional concessions for the Palestinians in order to achieve the two-state solution.