Visiting Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday dismissed an Israeli offer to partially freeze settlement activities in the West Bank as insufficient.

Abbas said Israel's plan for a 10-month freeze on the construction of Jewish settlements "didn't bring anything new" because construction would continue in east Jerusalem and in the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday announced the temporary freeze on new settlement building in the West Bank, saying the move was aimed at reviving the peace talks with the Palestinians.

However, the construction freeze would not be implemented in east Jerusalem and the housing construction already underway would continue.

Abbas met on Friday with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who expressed support for the creation of a future Palestinian state.

Abbas was visiting Venezuela at the end of a South American tour that also took him to Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay, on a mission to seek support for efforts toward a Palestinian state.

(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2009)