CAIRO, Shawwal 07, 1431, Sept 16, SPA -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak renewed his call on Israel to abandon settlements, and to "seize the opportunity" of direct negotiations in order to achieve a peace process that could end the sufferings of the Palestinians and ensure security and stability in the region. In an Israeli television interview that will be broadcast on Saturday, the Egyptian President stressed the danger of settlements on the recent direct negotiations, and called on Israel to extend the freezing of the settlements, which expires on September 26. He pointed to the willingness of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to achieve the peace process, while adding that "there are hard decisions to make". Moreover, Egypt encourages both sides to continue direct negotiations in order to reach a fair solution for the Palestinian case, considering it "a historic chance," he was quoted as saying in the interview by a report carried today by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). --SPA 13:40 LOCAL TIME 10:40 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/817572