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Israelis, Palestinians Intensify Talks Despite Skepticism
(Reuters) Crispian Balmer and Ali Sawafta - Israeli and Palestinian negotiators held a new round of talks on Monday, picking up the tempo of their meetings at the request of the U.S. in the face of widespread skepticism that they will ever reach a deal. The two sides resumed direct peace negotiations in late July and have conducted a series of discussions far from the gaze of the media over recent weeks, without any outward hint of the slightest breakthrough. However, a senior Palestinian official told Reuters that the talks were intensifying, with the negotiating teams agreeing to meet for up to eight hours a day and to see one another more regularly. "As the Americans requested, we are upping the tempo of the discussions," the official said. "So far we have achieved nothing."