Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Israeli PM Urges Palestinian Leader to Continue Peace Talks Appeal comes as 10-month partial freeze on West Bank settlement construction expires VOA News 27 September 2010 Photo: AP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to continue peace talks as a 10-month partial freeze on West Bank settlement construction expired. The Israeli leader released a statement early Monday, shortly after the freeze ended at 2200 UTC Sunday. He urged Mr. Abbas to continue dialogue in order to reach a "historic" agreement within a year.  He said Israel was "ready to pursue continuous contacts in the coming days." The French news agency quotes a spokesman for President Abbas as saying the Palestinian leader has urged Israel to re-impose the settlement freeze. Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina says it is the only way peace talks can succeed. He commented from Paris where Mr. Abbas met with members of the French Jewish community Sunday.  The Palestinians have threatened to walk out of the negotiations if construction resumes. The Palestinian Authority has requested a meeting with Arab League foreign ministers to decide how to proceed with peace talks if construction resumes. Mr. Abbas is reported to have said the foreign ministers' meeting will take place on October 4. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post says Israel and the Palestinian Authority have agreed to devote another week to finding a compromise that would keep talks from breaking down. The U.S. has been involved in negotiations with both sides. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley released a statement late Sunday saying top U.S. diplomats met with Israeli and Palestinian officials Sunday. In the West Bank Sunday, Israeli settlers and their supporters began celebrating the end of the partial construction freeze. About 2,000 people rallied in the settlement of Revava, where they released balloons ahead of the moratorium's expiration. In the nearby Kiryat Netafim settlement, residents laid the cornerstone for a new pre-school. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu had urged West Bank settlers to "show restraint" as the deadline approached. Meanwhile, Israeli security officials say suspected Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli vehicle Sunday, slightly wounding a motorist. Officials say the incident took place near the West Bank city of Hebron. Israel has allowed hundreds of thousands of Israelis to settle on lands it has occupied since 1967. Palestinians say the settlements interfere with plans for a sovereign Palestinian state. Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. .