Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has once again emphasised he will only take part in peace talks if Israel actually halts the construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Mr Abbas made his statement in a speech he gave in Ramallah on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the death of Yasser Arafat. The late Palestinian leader died five years ago today in a Paris hospital. In his speech, Mr Abbas accused Israel of thwarting a two-state solution to the conflict.

The two-state solution, which involves the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, enjoys widespread support among the international community.