Palestinians confirm Israel offered partial West Bank settlement freeze in return for talks

[Jefferson23]

Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat says Palestinians rejected offer because it applied only to government construction and most settlement construction is carried out by private contractors.

By Barak Ravid


Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to freeze government construction in West Bank settlements as well as construction on government land there in return for an agreement by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resume direct peace talks.

Erekat told the Associated Press that the proposal was offered to the Palestinians via a third party and that the Palestinians rejected the proposal because it only applied to government construction and most settlement construction is carried out by private contractors.

"If Netanyahu wants to resume negotiations, he has to say that settlement building will stop. Either it stops or it doesn't stop," Erekat said.

Erekat's statements confirmed an earlier Haaretz report about the offer of a government construction settlement freeze.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinians-confirm-israel-offered-partial-west-bank-settlement-freeze-in-return-for-talks-1.391299

[Violet_Crumble]

1. Nutty is never going to stop settlement construction for even a few days of his own free will...

He refused to do so even for a short period of time even when the US dangled incredibly tempting carrots in front of him that only a complete and short-sighted moron would have not taken...

[Jefferson23]

2. If the United States stood up to him and put the carrots away, otherwise, no..why should he stop?

In the United States there is a chance if a strong group emerges to counter the Israel lobby...a seriously organized
group.

[shira]

3. And the PA rejected it while praising the freed terrorists swapped for Shalit. Wonderful. n/t

[jimmie]

4. Praising???

How about $ 2000.00 a piece??

[shira]

5. Right, even worse. The moderate PA paid these wretches for their good deeds. n/t