West Bank ? Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned Sunday that he will not back down from his threat to pull out of new peace talks with Israel if it resumes construction in West Bank settlements.

The negotiations are set to resume this week with a gala summit meeting in Washington after months of American mediation efforts.

Israelis themselves are divided over the settlements, including how many should be dismantled, if any, to enable the creation of a Palestinian state. Reflecting that divide, leading Israeli theater actors and playwrights pledged Sunday not to perform in West Bank settlements, an announcement that drew sharp criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.