Report: Israeli PM Netanyahu trying to extend West Bank settlement freeze

[News_Editor]

Report: Israeli PM Netanyahu trying to extend West Bank settlement freeze

2010-10-05 05:47:54 GMT+7 (ICT)

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (BNO NEWS) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his top ministers on Tuesday in order to discuss the extension of the West Bank settlement freeze for 60 days in exchange for U.S. guarantees, Israeli media reported on Monday.

Netanyahu will debate with his Forum of Seven the extension of the moratorium. On September 26, Israel lifted the temporary settlement freeze in the occupied Palestine territory which caused controversy worldwide and threatened the continuation of the direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestine authority.

If the extension is approved, Netanyahu will bring the concession to a political-security cabinet for further voting. The U.S. reportedly offered a series of guarantees in the Israel-Palestine direct peace negotiations in exchange.

Palestine has repeatedly said that it would not continue with the peace meetings until Israel agreed to stop the settlement moratorium once more. Initially, Israel refused that claim but the United States interceded and urged them to reconsider its position in order to maintain the diplomatic talks.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor are expected to support Netanyahu's position, while Foreign Minister Avigdor is likely to present the greatest opposition.

Netanyahu is currently trying to convince the other members of the forum, Ministers Benny Begin, Moshe Ya'alon and Eli Yishai. The Prime Minister has met with the ministers in the past days; however, Begin has previously expressed his opposition to the extension.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been in contact with Netanyahu in order to reach a solution that will enable the resuming of the direct peace talks. The talks were reported to be very constructive but no solution was agreed.

Early reports on Monday indicated that Netanyahu agreed to extend the moratorium after U.S. President Barack Obama offered Israel a series of incentives but this information was false. The Israeli PM confirmed the U.S. proposal but said that the decision has not been decided.

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