Officials in Jerusalem are pessimistic about the possibility of the stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) resuming anytime in the near future. Officials told Israel’s Channel 10 News there is “zero chance an agreement will be reached in the coming weeks” that will allow the talks to continue beyond an April 29 deadline. On Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon signed official documents, confirming reception of and starting processing for PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' requests to join international conventions that are also signed by the UN. Ten of the 15 conventions the PA wishes to join are co-signed by the UN. Hours after Ban signed the documents, an Israeli official said Israel has enacted an additional sanction against the PA, by freezing the transfer of taxes Israel collects for the PA. Further, the official noted Israel is suspending participation with the PA to develop a gas field in the sea off of Hamas-controlled Gaza, and putting a cap on PA deposits in Israeli banks. “The purposes of these moves, and others likely to come, is "to save the process," one government official said. These calculated and measured steps, he said, were aimed to show the Palestinians that "continued rejectionism will harm their interests." Further steps, he said, will be a "function of what the Palestinians do or do not do. If the Palestinians continue with their unilateral steps, Israel will continue to respond." (Israel National News/Jerusalem Post)