RAMALLAH -- The Palestinians on Sunday conditioned the resumption of the direct peace talks with Israel with a complete cessation of settlement activities and an Israeli recognition of the 1967 borders.

Nabil Abu Rdieneh, an aide to President Mahmoud Abbas said in emails to reporters that if Israel is serious "it has to be committed to the roadmap, the United Nations resolutions and the Arab peace initiative."

Abu Rdeineh' statement was an official Palestinian response to Israel's declaration of welcoming the call of the International Quartet Committee for peace in the Middle East to resume the direct peace talks unconditionally.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office had earlier stated that Israel welcomes the Quartet's calls to resume the Middle East peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Israeli statement said it welcomes the call despite reservations and concerns to be announced in the proper time.

Abu Rdeineh said that any Israeli reservations "would mean rejecting all the international references for the resumption of the peace talks."

The Quartet had on Sept 23 called on Israel and the Palestinians to resume the peace talks, which had been stalled for one year, without any preconditions within four weeks and reach an agreement in one year.

The Quartet's call was made right after President Abbas had officially submitted an official request asking the United Nations to recognize a full membership of a Palestinian statehood.

The United States and Israel oppose the Palestinian bid, and threatened of political and financial sanctions.

The Palestinians demanded from the Quartet clarifications on its calls on both sides to halt provocations, and whether provocations mean halting settlement activities, which was a major reason behind halting the peace talks.