(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - The Palestinian Authority is pushing Israel to agree to a total construction freeze in both the settlements and eastern Jerusalem of 3-6 months to enable Mahmoud Abbas to return to negotiations without "losing face." This is one idea that U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell is expected to raise during talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Thursday. Netanyahu, who has already declared a 10-month housing-start moratorium in the West Bank, has said he will not agree to any limitations on construction in eastern Jerusalem. "This is not going to happen; it goes against everything Netanyahu says and believes in," one source in the Prime Minister's Office said.
2010-01-20 08:15:01Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive