PARIS, Shawwal 19, 1431, Sept 28, SPA -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he hopes that Israel will hold off settlement-building in the West Bank as long as Mideast peace talks continue. The Palestinian leader said on French radio a day after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy that he fears the Israeli and Palestinian leadership may miss a «historic opportunity» for their peoples. Abbas told Europe-1 Tuesday that «if the colonization stops, we will continue the negotiations.» He said the Palestinian leadership hopes Israel will halt settlement-building «as long as there are negotiations.» Israel's decision to resume new West Bank settlement construction after a 10-month moratorium ended Sunday has provoked Palestinian threats to walk out of the talks, according to a report of the Associated Press. --SPA 12:46 LOCAL TIME 09:46 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/821357