Israeli PM considering settlement freeze

Friday 04th September, 01:42 PM JST

JERUSALEM —

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be willing to consider suspending construction in the West Bank for several months—but first plans to authorize hundreds of new apartments there, an aide said Friday.

The U.S. has been pressing Israel to agree to a settlement freeze, and the Palestinians have said they would not resume peace talks unless Israel suspends construction on lands they want for a future state. Friday’s statement was the first time an aide has said in the name of the prime minister’s office that such a move could be imminent.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose plans Netanyahu has not officially announced.

It was unclear to what extent Israel would actually freeze construction. Netanyahu made it clear through his aide that Israel does not intend to abandon its West Bank settlement enterprise, and it seemed clear that thousands of units would continue to be built in the West Bank even during a supposed freeze.

In the next few days, the aide said, the prime minister will approve the construction of hundreds of new apartments in the West Bank.

He did not have a specific number. But he said these apartments would be in addition to the 2,500 that are already under construction and will continue to be built.

The construction will be centered in the main settlement blocs, areas Israel hopes to retain after any peace deal, he said.

In exchange for a suspension, Netanyahu would expect the Arab world to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel, the aide added.

The Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future state, along with east Jerusalem and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, and see continued settlement construction as a sign that Israel is not serious about making peace.

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6 Comments

ChrisBiggins at 04:10 PM JST - 4th September

The Israelis are never to be trusted especially this extreme right wing PM who makes Bush look like a communist.

The ghastly policy of stealing Arab land and building illegal settlements will never stop unless the world makes them a pariah state and bans all trade. Also US aid must cease.

Hopefully Israel in the future will have a PM without a beastly past, they had one before who seemed genuine but hye was murdered by extreme right wingers. Israel is more dangerous than any Arab country and the way they keeop making Palestinians homeless with this settlement farcemakes me cry.
SuperLib at 08:08 PM JST - 4th September

The settlements have got to stop. They're counterproductive. I don't stand with Chris/Neil's usual tantrum, but I agree that the settlements need to at least be put on hold at a minimum.
Molenir at 08:31 PM JST - 4th September

The ghastly policy of stealing Arab land and building illegal settlements will never stop unless the world makes them a pariah state and bans all trade. Also US aid must cease.

Yeah, pretty silly. No reason to respond any further.

I actually agree and disagree. If Israel really is saying, this land is not on the table. And we're going to develop it whatever you say, then I can see both sides of the issue. Particularly when you're talking longstanding settlements that are more cities then they are developments. When you're talking about settlers just going in and putting up a wildcat settlement, now that I would be in favor of stopping. It serves no purpose other then to aggravating the Pals, costs Israel money as they then have to guard these idiots, and creates further contention in an already problematic place. So, building new apartment buildings in a place that Israel is definitely going to keep, a place they've already built a wall to protect, no problem, building new developments, on land they expropriate from Arabs now, no. Not acceptable.
Noliving at 11:58 PM JST - 4th September

Not only should the aid stop to israel but also to all the mideast countries we give aid to(egypt), except for lebanon.
TheQuestion at 02:01 AM JST - 5th September

Also US aid must cease.

So the U.S should cut aid to the only country in that part of the world that doesn't harbor terrorists. Sorry buddy but I don't think thats going to be happening.
ttryu at 01:15 PM JST - 5th September

Israel is the only democratic country in the region. All of us want to see Israel to become a bigger country by expanding its territory. It is a shame that any governments actually consider to negotiate "peace" with Arabs, the source of 95% of all terrorist activities today. Israeli Government should throw out ALL "peace agreements" with the "palestinian government".