Abbas steps up criticism of new peace proposal as a gift to Israel

Palestine has again rejected a US peace plan for the region and instead called for international powers and agencies to convene talks in a bid to help start negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.

But the suggestion of a new diplomatic mechanism under an international umbrella has left some analysts skeptical on the feasibility of such an arrangement.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday encouraged the international quartet of Middle East mediators－the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations－to join with the UN Security Council and other countries "to hold an international conference for peace ... to implement resolutions of international legitimacy".