A senior official in the Palestinian Liberation Organization said Friday that peace negotiators Saeb Erekat and Mohammad Shtayyeh did not submit their resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas.

PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yousef told Ma’an that reports of the negotiators resigning were not accurate.

On Thursday, sources told Ma’an that PLO negotiators Saeb Erekat and Mohammed Shtayyeh had presented their resignation to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The officials reportedly resigned in response to Israel’s recent announcement for thousands of settler homes in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki told Ma’an that an emergency meeting had been called for next Saturday to “discuss the developments.”

A United States government official said Friday that Palestinian officials informed the US of their commitment to negotiations with Israel for the agreed upon timetable of nine months.

The last round of direct peace talks broke down just weeks after they were launched in September 2010 in a bitter row over settlements.

(Ma’an – www.maannews.net)