Palestinians see threats in Israeli minister's remarks

 The Palestinian leadership considered remarks by chief Israeli negotiator against President Mahmoud Abbas as a "personal threat." "These threats must be taken seriously," said Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Riad al-Maliki. "We are studying these Israeli threats, which contradict with peace efforts," Maliki told Voice of Palestine Radio on Sunday On Saturday, Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni said that the Palestinian people would pay the price of Abbas' political stances. In an interview with Israel Channel 2, Livni said Abbas' positions were unacceptable not only to Israel, but also to the world. Abbas stresses that East Jerusalem should be the capital of the future Palestinian state and refuses Israel's demands to recognize it as a home for Jews. Though peace negotiations are unproductive so far, Livni said she still hopes to reach a framework agreement with the Palestinians before the negotiations initial nine-month tenure ends in April. The Palestinians stress that they are not going to extend the U. S.-brokered negotiations after April. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland that he would put forward a framework agreement for Israel and the Palestinians within weeks.