SYMBOLIC CELEBRATION: Palestinians dance during a rally, marking their 22nd Independence Day in Beit Furik near the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday. The PNC unilaterally declared statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Nov. 15, 1988. (EPA)

RAMALLAH: Israeli ministers on Sunday warned the Palestinian Authority against taking unilateral steps toward statehood as US efforts to revive the stalled peace process floundered.

As the political stalemate continued, chief negotiator Saeb Erekat revealed on Saturday that the Palestinians intend to ask the UN Security Council to recognize an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Israeli ministers, who convened Sunday morning for their weekly session, showed recent developments have resulted in a hardening of positions — at least publicly.

“Unilateral steps will not lead to the results we are hoping to achieve,” Vice Premier Silvan Shalom told reporters before the meeting. “The only result should be direct negotiations.”

Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said that if the Palestinians took unilateral steps, the Israeli army should retake areas in the occupied West Bank that are currently under Palestinian control.

“This is a hostile initiative aimed at ending any chance of peace negotiations. If they go for a unilateral declaration it should be followed by the extension of our control,” Landau said.

Diaspora Minister Yuli Edelstein said the move showed that among several Palestinian leaders still persists the belief that achievements can be made through militancy and terror. “I hope the international community does not cooperate with this and makes clear that the only approach is direct negotiations,” he said.

But Interior Minister Eli Yishai said, “We are making a mountain out of a molehill. There is no need to be concerned over the declaration of a Palestinian state ... We must take action on the diplomatic front.”

According to Yishai, “Netanyahu is making political moves in order to start negotiations. We are truly interested in this.”

Washington has tried unsuccessfully for months to get Israelis and Palestinians to resume peace negotiations that were suspended during the Gaza war at the turn of the year.

Palestinian officials have in recent weeks touted a number of steps in the face of the fledgling peace efforts, including a unilateral declaration of statehood and asking the UN Security Council to determine the final borders of the state.

Erekat told Arab News that the Palestinian leadership does not believe that Israel seeks a two-state solution. “The Palestinians are sick of Israel wasting time. We do not believe Israel is genuinely interested in a two-state solution,” Erekat said.

The Palestinians say they will not return to the negotiations table until Israel completely halts the West Bank settlement activity, a demand which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected. “Israel is continuing the occupation and is not prepared to return to the negotiating table,” Erekat added. “It is maintaining the settlements and continuing to build in the territories; this situation cannot continue.”

In a separate development, a senior Hamas official on Sunday said talks to exchange Palestinian prisoners with Israel are underway but still far from end.

Osama Al-Muzaini, a Hamas official in charge of the negotiations over captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, said negotiations are going on and they are being led by a German mediator.

— With input from agencies