RAMALLAH, March 10, 2010 (WAFA)- President Mahmoud Abbas called, today, on the Israeli government not to miss the opportunity to achieve peace, stressing that the time has come for making peace.

A joint press conference with US Vice President Joe Biden, held at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah the President added that, the decisions made by the Israeli government during the past two days, the establishment of thousands of new settlement units constitute a blow-up of confidence, hit at the effort made over the past months to launch the indirect negotiations.

He added the decision of approval of these negotiations was made with great difficulty in the Arab Follow-up committee, and Palestinian leadership in support of our will to support the US efforts in the peace process.

He underlined the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to just and comprehensive peace on all tracks, including the Syrian and Lebanese, and leads to ending the occupation that started in 1967, based on the road map plan, including the Arab peace initiative.

Biden told president Abbas that “Israel's decision to expand settlement activity in Jerusalem 'undermines' the trust needed for indirect negotiations.

'It's incumbent on both parties to build an atmosphere of support for negotiations and not to complicate them,' he said, reiterating that there is no alternative for the two state solution in any comprehensive peace plan.

He pointed that the US administration will work to establish a contiguous viable Palestinian state, elaborating that this is not only the best interest of Palestinians and Israelis but also for the US.