Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held secret talks with high-ranking Palestinian Authority officials in recent weeks, a former PA official said at the Knesset Monday.
Ashraf al-Ajrami, the former PA minister of prisoner affairs made the comments at a diplomatic conference featuring Geneva Initiative representatives.
Secretary of the PLO Executive Committee Yasser Abed Rabbo met with Netanyahu recently at the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem, according to Ajrami.
"I want to reveal a secret here. We held negotiations with Bibi Netanyahu, at his home, for many hours recently. Yasser Abed-Rabbo negotiated directly with Bibi," Ajrami claimed.
According to Ajrami, the PA is still awaiting an answer from Netanyahu as to whether he accepts the principle of two states for two peoples.
The Prime Minister's Office has not issued a response to the claims.
The report came amid efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry to restart negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Kerry was expected to return this weekend for his sixth visit to the region to continue his long-winded efforts to renew peace negotiations, Israeli media reported on Sunday.
During his last trip, Kerry spent some 20 hours in six meetings – three with Netanyahu in Jerusalem and three with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman and Ramallah – trying to find a formula that would launch talks.
Last Saturday night, he held a marathon six-hour meeting with Netanyahu and his team that went until nearly 4 a.m., followed by a Sunday morning meeting with Abbas.
Kerry refused to provide any details either about where progress was made, or what was holding up the restart of talks. He did not speak of any deadline by which the talks needed to begin.