Palestine ready to start indirect talks: Abbas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to start indirect peace talks with Israel. Abbas said this in an interview with an Israeli TV station.

Abbas said he will present the US proposal of indirect peace talks to the Arab League this week, hoping the reply to be positive.

Abbas also spoke in the interview about the kidnapped Israeli soldier, saying he had repeatedly asked Hamas to hand over the soldier.

On Monday, municipal officials in Jerusalem said Israel had frozen construction of settlements in disputed East Jerusalem - despite its public posture that building would continue. US officials had no immediate comment on the officials' observations.