Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday that peace negotiations with Israel can't go on as Israel "swallows Jerusalem and expand settlements in the West Bank."

Abbas' statements were made when he chaired a meeting of the caretaker cabinet in Ramallah. He said he had expressed to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "our total rejection to expanding settlements in Jerusalem and around it."

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat had earlier stated that the talks held between Abbas and Olmert in Jerusalem on Monday "were very difficult as both had deeply discussed the issue of settlements' expansion."

"If they (Israelis) want serious negotiations with good intention, they should stop settlements, free prisoners and remove roadblocks," Abbas said, "Unfortunately, obstacles increase everyday."

Speaking about the talks on reaching a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza militant groups, Abbas said "We have been always seeking for a Tahdiy'ah (calm) in order to make our people in Gaza to live a normal life."

"Therefore we asked the Israeli government, the United States as well as Egypt to exert more efforts to achieve calm," said Abbas, who slammed Hamas leaders for earlier threats to attack Gaza-Egypt border.

Abbas reiterated his call on Hamas movement to end its control of the Gaza Strip that began one year ago, saying "we are in favor of a national solution to the crisis in order to achieve a national unity among our people."

(Xinhua News Agency June 5, 2008)