The Arab League appealed to member states Sunday to bolster financial help to the Palestinian territories after U.S. lawmakers froze about $200 million in aid in response to Palestinians' U.N. statehood bid.

"It is necessary for the member countries of the League to increase their financial aid to the Palestinian people so they can face this threat," said Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi after talks in Cairo with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat.

The Palestinians on Sunday dismissed Israel's welcome of a Quartet call for the resumption of peace talks, saying the peace proposal requires Israel to halt settlement construction.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, speaking to Agence France Presse from Cairo, said a statement issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office was "an exercise in deceiving the international community."

Israel on Sunday welcomed a call from the international Quartet for peace talks to resume, saying it had some "concerns" but urging the Palestinians to begin negotiations "without delay."

"Israel welcomes the Quartet's call for direct negotiations between the parties without preconditions, as called for by both (U.S.) President (Barack) Obama and Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu," a statement from the premier's office said.

Speaker Nabih Berri noted on Saturday that Lebanon remains Israel’s main enemy because it is its major competitor in the region, adding that the Jewish state is seeking to fragment Lebanon.

He said during the opening of the international conference in support of the Palestinian intifada held in Iran: “The Resistance is the main deterrent power against Israel and given the current circumstances, it is a necessity to prevent Israeli exploitation of the situation in the Arab world to harm Lebanon.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to demand a quick return to peace talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, her spokesman said Friday.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Friday the importance of Palestinian national unity given the talk of the recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

He said upon his arrival in Tehran to take part in the fifth international conference to support the Palestinian intifada: “It’s important to reveal to the world the conspiracies being plotted against the Palestinian cause.”

The Palestinians have secured eight Security Council yes votes for their U.N. membership bid, just one short of the nine they need, the Palestinian foreign minister said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters in Ramallah, Riyad al-Malki said he had received assurances from two additional nations -- Nigeria and Gabon -- that they would vote in favor of the Palestinian bid for full state membership at the U.N.

Turkey on Thursday slammed Israeli plans to expand a settlement in east Jerusalem and said the move further underlined the need for the world to back the Palestinian bid for full U.N. membership.

"Israel's decision raises serious doubts about its sincerity and its true intentions," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement. "It constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and is unacceptable."

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Tuesday that Lebanon does not want to intervene in the developments in Syria “because we don’t want anyone to meddle in our affairs.”

He said while meeting with a delegation of Arab ambassadors in New York: “We don’t want to interfere in its affairs because we want to defend Lebanon from any potential repercussions on the country.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Tuesday that Lebanon is always committed to implementing international resolutions, including respecting the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was stipulated in a number of Lebanese government policy statements.

Miqati stressed that “if Lebanon does not secure the necessary funding for the STL, then the country will be the first victim”, adding that “We are on the verge of extending the STL work in March, and we should prepare our files to present it to the Security Council”.