U.N. "concerned" Israel hasn't done more for Abbas

By Adam Entous

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.N. Middle East envoy Michael Williams called on Israel on Wednesday to take more far-reaching steps to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, saying he was concerned not enough was being done to sustain the momentum.

While he described Israel's release of some 250 Palestinian prisoners and transfer of frozen tax funds to Abbas as "positive signs" following Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip in June, Williams told reporters: "I'm concerned that we haven't seen further steps. I'd like to see further steps."

Williams suggested these steps include easing travel restrictions for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. He also urged Israel to release more prisoners and move forward on long-stalled plans to uproot Jewish outposts.

Senior Abbas aides say Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has yet to deliver on a promise he made on August 6 to approve the removal of some of the hundreds of roadblocks that impede Palestinian travel in the West Bank.

Olmert and Abbas, who are expected to meet again next week and in early September, are trying to hammer out an agreement on "principles" for establishing a Palestinian state.

The goal is to complete that agreement in time for a U.S.-sponsored conference on Palestinian statehood expected to take place in November in the Washington, D.C. area, Israeli, Palestinian and Western officials said.

Williams said the next two meetings between Olmert and Abbas would be "very important" in determining what could come out of the November conference.

The European Union wants the conference to launch final-status negotiations over borders, the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, a senior EU diplomat said.