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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Image Credit: AP

Manama: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has informed US envoy George Mitchell that he will resign if colony construction is resumed.

Abbas supposedly told Mitchell of his plans during their last meeting, Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Friday, quoting Palestinian sources close to the Palestinian Authority leadership.

His resignation will mean the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority since it has been agreed by the government that no one from the Fatah leadership would step up to replace Abbas as president and new elections would not be held.

He will be seeking the support of Arab foreign ministers on Friday before making what he claims will be "a very important speech" in which he will announce "historic decisions" ahead of the Arab Summit and the Arab-African Summit.

Arab ministers back Palestinian decision

Sirte, Libya :  Arab ministers say they support the Palestinians' decision to stop direct talks with Israel unless the Israelis agree to halt all colony construction in the West Bank.

But the ministers also said in a statement after meeting on Friday that they'll give the US another month to find a way to break the impasse.

The decision represents a compromise as the US struggles to prevent a total collapse of direct negotiations between the two sides that began last month.

- AP