Israel Rejects US Settlement Freeze Proposal Without Written Guarantees, More Demands

Editor's Note:

Dr. Saeb Erikat, the PLO chief negotiator told Aljazeera TV at 9:00 am ET that the visiting US official told President Abbas that Israelis have not yet agreed to the US proposal of a three-month settlement freeze.

Israel rejects U.S. settlement freeze proposal without written guarantees

[ 17/11/2010 - 10:29 AM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

Israel has delayed its agreement to the U.S. proposed three-month settlement freeze in the West Bank due to vagueness in the offer.

The Hebrew state is demanding that its ally offer written guarantees before the issue is discussed and voted on.

Understandings were reportedly reached earlier between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton while meeting in New York.

The Americans were unclear in their proposal, offering that agreements achieved within the three-month settlement freeze would render another moratorium unnecessary.

An Israeli official said the state is demanding that Americans veto any moves by Palestinians to bypass peace talks by dealing directly with the UN, and that it commits not to request another settlement freeze after the three-month period.

America also pledged to increase the volume of aid to Israel and grant Tel Aviv 20 advanced stealth warplanes as part of its incentives package.

Officials suggested that Netanyahu intends to stipulate that the U.S. would agree to waive the Palestinian refugees' right of return.

Israeli officials said if Shas ministers abstain from voting, Israel would be expected to approve the construction freeze with a majority of seven to six opposing votes.

US official to brief PA on talks

Published today (updated) 17/11/2010 14:30

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) --

A senior US official will brief Palestinian leaders in Ramallah on Thursday about the latest developments in efforts to renew direct talks with Israel.

Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told Israeli radio that David Hale, a deputy to US Mideast envoy George Mitchell, would deliver "details and suggestions" in his briefing.

He added that President Abbas would review Hale's suggestions with the PLO and Fatah, and with the leaders of Arab states.

The US is currently asking Israel to resume a partial moratorium on the construction of illegal West Bank settlements, in order to coax the Palestinian Authority back to the negotiating table.

One week earlier, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton offered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a package of incentives, including military aid and promises to veto UN resolutions critical of Israel, in exchange for a 90-day extension of the freeze.

Netanyahu has promised to put the US proposal to his 15-member security cabinet -- but only after receiving written details of the offer.

"There are understandings between the US secretary of state and the prime minister but it takes time for them to be put in writing, and we have to wait," Nir Hefetz, a senior Netanyahu adviser, told Israel's army radio.

"No date has been set for the cabinet meeting because we have to wait for the written clarifications from the Americans," he said.

On Monday, Netanyahu said details of the proposal were still being hammered out, and a source close to the negotiations said the premier was "holding out" over a number of conditions.

But on Tuesday, another senior Israeli official accused the Palestinians of holding up the letter's arrival, saying their complaints about the generous US offers to Israel were the source of the delay.

"What is causing a delay in putting together the agreed formula in the US document are Palestinian objections to what Israel has managed to gain through the understandings," he said.

"Only when the guarantees document is received will the prime minister present it to the cabinet," he added.

Under the terms of the proposal, Israel would declare a one-off three-month moratorium on new construction in the West Bank excluding annexed Palestinian east Jerusalem.

In exchange, the United States would pledge not to ask for a further freeze, would deliver to Israel 20 F-35 fighter jets, worth three billion dollars, and would pledge to block any international efforts to force a political settlement on Israel.

Netanyahu is facing opposition from members of his own cabinet in extending the freeze. On Wednesday three cabinet ministers, all members of his Likud party, sent a letter to settler leaders declaring that they would oppose the deal.

According to the Israeli news site Ynet, Ministers Silvan Shalom, Moshe Ya'alon, and Benny Begin added their signatures to the letter which states "their objection to a construction freeze in Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria."

AFP contributed to this report.

Palestinians & Arab League Likely To Reject U.S. Proposal if it Does Not Include Jerusalem

Tuesday November 16, 2010 16:58 by IMEMC News - 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group

According to Ma'an News, a proposal from the United States for a 90-day temporary freeze on construction in Israeli West Bank settlements might not be enough to entice the Palestinians into renewing Middle East peace talks.

Arab League official, Hesham Youseff said on Monday that, "If the news is true about there being a settlement freeze that excludes Jerusalem and that takes the criticism off Israel, I cannot imagine that would be acceptable to the Palestinian side or the Arab countries. But he went on to say that the Arab League is waiting to see what Israel and the United States are going to offer the Palestinians before making any decisions.

The Arab League is also considering alternative proposals to direct Palestinian-Israeli talks, one of which may include seeking United Nations recognition of a Palestinian state.

Under the U.S. proposal, which emerged after a marathon meeting in New York last Thursday between Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Israel will freeze construction at its West Bank settlements for 90 days, in return for which the U.S. would give Israel support at the United Nations, as well as a supply of 20 advanced fighter aircraft.

Meridor: "No cabinet freeze vote until U.S. gives proposal in writing"

Tuesday November 16, 2010 16:22 by IMEMC News - 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group

In an interview with Israeli Army Radio today, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor said U.S. promises were needed in writing before the Cabinet votes on a 3 month settlement freeze.

The security cabinet will not vote on a United States proposal for a three month settlement freeze until the Obama administration's promises are officially delivered to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in writing, Deputy PM Meridor said on Tuesday.

Meridor stated that there were four major promises that he expected the US to fulfill in exchange for the freeze extension. Firstly, that the three month freeze would not be followed by any additional U.S. requests for further moratoriums in the future. Secondly, that the U.S. would use its position as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to block Palestinian attempts to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state in the international body. Third, a military package provided to Israel by the U.S. that would allow Israel to maintain a military advantage over its neighbours. Finally, an assurance that the issue of borders would not be discussed independently of other core issues, such as security and the right of return.

Yesterday Likud Minister-without-Portfolio Bennie Begin voiced his opposition to a renewed settlement freeze, stating that renewing the construction moratorium for three months would "definitely" lead to U.S. calls for an additional freeze in the future.

Begin, believed to be the man who can best rally the Likud’s right wing, said in an interview with Army Radio that "if no agreement is reached - the Americans will ask us to continue the freeze, because they have no other solution."

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