Mitchell-Netanyahu meeting fails to make progress on settlements

Published yesterday (updated) 15/09/2009 18:30

Bethlehem - Ma’an -

US Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday, but failed to reach an agreement on the halt of the illegal Israeli settlement construction on Palestinian lands, the Prime Minister’s office reported.

The meeting was described as “good,” but officials noted Mitchell would extend his stay in Israel and Palestine to continue talks. Tuesday afternoon Mitchell will sit with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and was initially scheduled to meet with leaders in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon later this week.

Mitchell met with Israeli President Shimon Peres Monday, where he was told by the President, "we must not let the month of September pass without a new beginning and starting negotiations," and later told reporters he thought there was a good chance to resume talks before the end of the month.

With the continued construction of settlement homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem being okayed by the Israeli government, and the Palestinian Authority insisting that all construction halt before a resumption of talks, reporters in the White House questioned spokesperson Ian Kelly over plans given that the “US thinks that he’s [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] not committed to a peace process with the Palestinians?”

Kelly reaffirmed the US stance on settlements, saying the policy “is crystal clear on it.” The US has said any settlement construction on the Palestinian side of the Green Line - or the 1967 armistice border - is illegal and Israel has an obligation to stop.

The spokesman noted, however, that Mitchell met with Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday, and said “I’m told the talks were positive and productive.”