The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Thursday denied Israeli media reports that it had contacted Israel over the resumption of peace talks.

Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian peace negotiator, said that the Israeli reports "were untrue, false promotion."

He reiterated that the PNA will not hold any kind of talks with Israel unless its prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu clearly recognizes the two-state solution and stops Jewish settlement construction in the Palestinian territories.

The reports said that Uzi Arad, an aide to Netanyahu, had rejected requests by the PNA to resume the peace talks which have been stalled since Israel launched a military offensive in the Gaza Strip in December.

Netanyahu's victory in Israel's general elections in February and his rejection to halt settlement activities have contributed to the freeze of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

But the Israeli reports said turning down the PNA's requests were only for the time being and did not mean that the talks won’t resume.

The PNA has often called on Israel to carry out its obligations under the US-backed Road Map peace plan which envisions a Palestinian statehood alongside Israel.

The settlement takes place in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the two territories that "along with the Gaza Strip" would form most of the future Palestinian statehood's land.

(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2009)