Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas warned against a rise in extremism if the ongoing peace process failed, in an interview to Israeli public television.

"Desperation will feed extremism," Abbas said in the exclusive interview aired Sunday, adding that he hoped that US efforts to end a deadlock in peace talks would succeed.

Israel and the Palestinians began face-to-face negotiations six weeks ago, but the talks look set to collapse following the end of an Israeli ban on settlement building which expired on September 26.

Israel has refused to reimpose the moratorium, while the Palestinians say they will not talk while settlers build on occupied Palestinian land, prompting a flurry of US diplomatic efforts to resolve the deadlock.

Abbas also reaffirmed that the Palestinians did not have to recognise Israel as a "Jewish state," as demanded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in return for a possible settlement halt.

He said the Palestine Liberation Organisation had recognised Israel's right to exist in 1993 in the Oslo accords where both sides mutually recognised each other.

"It's enough that we have recognised Israel... but do not ask us to recognise it as a Jewish state," he said, adding: "Every day you (the Israelis) come up with a new demand. It's enough."