Peres calls Abbas to congratulate for resuming talks

Israeli President Shimon Peres called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the phone to congratulate him on his decision to resume peace talks. "Don't mind the skeptics. You and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu made the right thing," said Peres, on the phone conversation with Abbas, according to Israel based television Channel 10. Referring that there was no other choice except peace, Peres defined the decision of Abbas to resume talks as "brave and historic step". On the comments of Peres, Palestinian President Abbas responded, "We believe it is possible for us to become a state living peacefully with Israeli side". Nabil Abu Rdeineh, spokesman of the Palestinian presidency, said in a statement that progress was made on Friday regarding the resumption of the stalled Israeli Palestinian peace talks following a meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. However, Hamas dismissed US State Secretary John Kerry's announcement of the resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and slammed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.