Abbas said talks will continue without these negotiators and just one week will be needed to resume Palestine-Israel peace talks. The same day, Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian chief negotiator, said negotiations with Israel were delayed last week when Tel Aviv announced the plans to build new Jewish resettlements in Palestinian occupied territory. This is a step backward in a peace process which resumed in July. Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a halt to the plan to build about 24,000 resettlement houses, which were put out for bid in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Prime Minister Netanyahu said he decided to cancel and re-evaluate the plan to avoid unnecessary confrontations with the world community.