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Last update - 20:07 08/12/2009
Netanyahu declares 10-month settlement freeze 'to restart peace talks'
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and Agencies
Tags: settlement freeze 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday evening that Israel would impose a 10-month freeze on construction in West Bank settlements, saying the move was a bid to restart stalled peace talks with the Palestinians.

"I hope that this decision will help launch meaningful negotiations to reach a historic peace agreement that would finally end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians," Netanyahu said at a special press conference he held shortly after the security cabinet approved the moratorium.

He added: "We have been told by many of our friends that once Israel takes the first meaningful steps toward peace, the Palestinians and Arab states would respond."
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Settlement building has been a key sticking point in U.S. efforts to restart Middle East peace talks; the Palestinians say they will not return to the negotiating table without a complete halt to construction.

During the press conference, Netanyahu said the "far-reaching and painful" move would not be implemented in predominantly Arab East Jerusalem, which is viewed by Israel as a separate issue to be discussed in a final status agreement with the Palestinians.

"We do not put any restrictions on building in our sovereign capital," the premier said.

The freeze applies only to new construction, meaning housing already underway will continue. Also, Netanyahu said, only new homes are included.

"We will not halt existing construction and we will continue to build synagogues, schools, kindergartens and public buildings essential for normal life in the settlements," he said.

Netanyahu concluded with an appeal to the Palestinians to enter into a new round of peace talks.

"Now is the time to begin negotiations, now is the time to move forward towards peace," he said. "Israel today has taken a far-reaching step toward peace, it is time for the Palestinians to do the same."

He added: "Israel's government has made an important step toward peace today, let us make peace together."

Netanyahu: Settlement freeze will prove Israel really wants peace

At the cabinet vote, National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau (Yisrael Beiteinu) was the only minister to oppose the move.

Shortly before the cabinet session, Netanyahu said the freeze would prove that Israel genuinely seeks to reach peace with the Palestinians.

"In the international circumstances that have been created, this step will advance Israel's broad international interests. This is not a simple step, nor an easy one; but it has many more advantages than disadvantages," Netanyahu told his aides.

He added: "It will enable us to show the world this simple truth: The Government of Israel wants to enter into negotiations with the Palestinians, is taking practical steps to enter into negotiations and is very serious in its intention to advance peace."

At least one key Security Cabinet member, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, came out in favor of the proposal. "Its aim is to open a window for renewing negotiations with the Palestinians," he said.

"I hope that the Yesha [council of settlements] leadership, which is patriotic, responsible and serious, will understand the need for the decision at this time," Barak added.

"The understandings with the United States are of the utmost importance with regard to negotiations, and guarantees of security and its military supremacy."

An official statement from the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday said Netanyahu would seek approval for the moratorium from his cabinet in order to boost peace prospects.

"As part of our efforts to give impetus to peace talks with the Palestinian Authority and promote Israel's comprehensive national interests, the prime minister will ask the security cabinet to approve a temporary suspension on construction permits for new residences and the [actual] start of new residential construction for a period of ten months," the statement said.

The move is not unexpected; Netanyahu announced several days ago that he intended to declare a settlement freeze for 10 months. Israel began building in the West Bank in 1967, following the capture of the territory from Jordan during the Six-Day War. Today, more than a quarter of million Israelis live in West Bank settlements.

The freeze will also not apply to construction that has already been authorized or to work on public buildings conducive to normal life in the territories.
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  1.   What a joke ! 13:51  |  Sam Soul 25/11/09
  2.   One State Solution is good for all 14:05  |  Tony Silver 25/11/09
  3.   IMPLEMENTATION is the gist of the problem... 14:09  |  Esther 25/11/09
  4.   yahoo settlement freeze 14:27  |  lawrence scott 25/11/09
  5.   10 more months of empty rhettoric? 14:36  |  jim the mechanic 25/11/09
  6.   Activities under the freeze need monitoring and publication by US 14:47  |  Ronen 25/11/09
  7.   re-to jim the mechanic in ontario? 14:53  |  hafiz 25/11/09
  8.   Well this is finally good news, a 10 month freeze 15:10  |  Smadar 25/11/09
  9.   There has been a freeze on all government new building starts 15:23  |  Zev 25/11/09
  10.   One State Solution is good for israel 15:25  |  Tony Silver 25/11/09
  11.   If you want settlers to leave then let them stay,,,,,,,,,,, 15:26  |  MIKE 25/11/09
  12.   No 15:27  |  Daniel 25/11/09
  13.   Nobody believes Bibi`s phony promises 15:30  |  Gray 25/11/09
  14.   Freeze, shmeeze--it`s the Palestinians, stupid! 15:35  |  IW 25/11/09
  15.   Take a guess ! 15:45  |  Sam Soul 25/11/09
  16.   It is another Israeli trick, regardless of packaging... 15:46  |  Ram 25/11/09
  17.   Freeze=expel 15:55  |  USA 25/11/09
  18.   If Hamas can have a cease fire with lots of rockets... 15:59  |  Jasper 25/11/09
  19.   wont work---nothing but a permanent freeze 16:03  |  Labhras 25/11/09
  20.   Worse than useless 16:07  |  Natallie Durson 25/11/09
  21.   A cynical attempt to put the Pals in the Americans` bad book. 16:10  |  Michael 25/11/09
  22.   "predominantly Arab East Jerusalem" 16:22  |  qwertyguy 25/11/09
  23.   #19 labarse of arabia and the ira pipes up 16:28  |  vhardman 25/11/09
  24.   #21 michael in dreamland and hopeless wish fulfilment 16:30  |  vhardman 25/11/09
  25.   JUST KEEP BUILDING. 16:31  |  Petra 25/11/09
  26.   it takes almost 10 mnths to finish an appartment... 16:45  |  SD 25/11/09
  27.   If it excludes East Jerusalem it proves nothing 16:45  |  John 25/11/09
  28.   24 Oh ****! It`s Vicky the ethnic cleanser again. 16:47  |  Michael 25/11/09
  29.   #19 Labass 16:49  |  Chaphari 25/11/09
  30.   Netanyahu 16:49  |  flora 25/11/09
  31.   qwertyguy 16:53  |  flora 25/11/09
  32.   #2 Tony Silver 16:54  |  BDS 25/11/09
  33.   Trying to be positive here 16:59  |  r cummings 25/11/09
  34.   Stop. Look. Listen. We cannot be safe if we think that way... 17:00  |  Dudu 25/11/09
  35.   `The only answer is to keep building on the land 17:01  |  r cummings 25/11/09
  36.   hardcore bibi 17:02  |  Lewin 25/11/09
  37.   One State Solution is good for Sweden and Denmark 17:04  |  Absolute Sweden 25/11/09
  38.   Look at the sequence of events 17:04  |  heinz 25/11/09
  39.   Do you feel the pressure coming from 1600 p ave 17:06  |  Labhras 25/11/09
  40.   Volkswagon & Stupidity 17:07  |  The Teacher/Instruct 25/11/09
  41.   Why? 17:11  |  lily 25/11/09
  42.   A fake suspension of permits from a fake peace partner!!!! 17:12  |  Che Vive 25/11/09
  43.   #28 Michael--he is posting from his cell in Belfast 17:16  |  Labhras 25/11/09
  44.   no reason for israel to make gestures to arabs 1 17:19  |  Dave 25/11/09
  45.   #29 Chapari--was that supposed to impress me 17:20  |  Labhras 25/11/09
  46.   to MIKE from NYC 17:20  |  ruben siedner 25/11/09
  47.   A settlement freeze? 17:21  |  Mark Lincoln 25/11/09
  48.   #2 - You meanLike...Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Siria, etc 17:30  |  D 25/11/09
  49.   Freeze w/ conditions 17:35  |  yuval 25/11/09
  50.   How stupid does Bibi think we are? Only a PERMANENT cessation... 17:35  |  peacelover 25/11/09
  51.   Settlement freeze would prove Israel wants peace? 17:37  |  Mark 25/11/09
  52.   Stop making us look like criminals 17:39  |  Dave 25/11/09
  53.   to Mike frim NYC 17:40  |  Jackie 25/11/09
  54.   #28michael with the rose tinted contact lenses 17:49  |  vhardman 25/11/09
  55.   Is this real peace or the back and forth with the US 17:52  |  One 25/11/09
  56.   10 month freeze 17:52  |  black bart 25/11/09
  57.   Kindly stop the generalizations based on ethnicity 17:53  |  O 25/11/09
  58.   Nothing on Pal side indicates a peace acceptable to Israel 17:54  |  Sam 25/11/09
  59.   #50 peacelover grows up to real world events 18:02  |  vhardman 25/11/09
  60.   Netanyahu All Smoke and Mirrors 18:10  |  Bill 25/11/09
  61.   Dave #52 18:14  |  Bill 25/11/09
  62.   Fake Freeze 18:22  |  Mark of Lewiston 25/11/09
  63.   Hijacked, Mike from NY! 18:23  |  r cummings 25/11/09
  64.   Give PA 1 month to negotiate, or cancel freeze, build in E-1 18:27  |  Dr. L. Brnd 25/11/09
  65.   To Jackie 18:31  |  Sam Soul 25/11/09
  66.   Wise decission, but immaterial since the Palestinians are divided 18:46  |  Farley 25/11/09
  67.   Netanyahu can`t offer anything else 18:53  |  alan 25/11/09
  68.   Bibi must go 18:58  |  Bob 25/11/09
  69.   Netanyahu really wants peace 19:13  |  Harold 25/11/09
  70.   Putting things into perspective, it`s a concrete step by gov`t 19:18  |  Smadar 25/11/09
  71.   #21 19:21  |  Harold 25/11/09
  72.   no j`slem no deal 19:24  |  and guess what? 25/11/09
  73.   Bibi slowly getting around to truth: 67 borders 19:27  |  facts on ground 25/11/09
  74.   joke 19:40  |  Hirz 25/11/09
  75.   This is no settlement construction freeze 19:47  |  Don Boston 25/11/09
  76.   #64 19:51  |  Bill 25/11/09
  77.   Jerusalem says (so the announcer says)that natural growth goes on 19:51  |  Esther 25/11/09
  78.   Paper pwrmits irrelevant 20:15  |  David 25/11/09
  79.   DR. UZI LANDAU, the CONSCIENCE OF ISRAEL 20:19  |  Steve of Mevaserret 25/11/09
  80.   Jerusalem is Israels....deal with it 20:22  |  corey 25/11/09
  81.   Oh well, a lesser crime is better than no 20:24  |  CJ 25/11/09
  82.   Who do you you think you`re fooling? 20:24  |  Pierre S 25/11/09
  83.   Dr. L. Brnd - Israeli concessions? Please explain 20:32  |  CJ 25/11/09
  84.   # 74 Hirz 20:33  |  The Teacher/Instruct 25/11/09
  85.   corey - It`s illegal to acquire territory by war!! 20:37  |  CJ 25/11/09
  86.   PA better move quick - no games allowed. It has 10 months. 20:38  |  common sense 25/11/09
  87.   american hypocrites (post this already- 4th time!) 20:40  |  jon 25/11/09
  88.   A concession from Netanyahu and the anti-Israeli morons... 20:41  |  SDHD 25/11/09
  89.   The Teacher/Instruct - er...Just stop taking other folks territo 20:42  |  CJ 25/11/09
  90.   Vhardman..."the real world" 20:49  |  David James Vickery 25/11/09
  91.   One state One nation two People 20:56  |  BMS 25/11/09
  92.   Old wind bag full of hot air and decite 20:58  |  Alistair 25/11/09
  93.   So says `jon` ... from CANADA 21:04  |  CJ 25/11/09
  94.   Corey - The Law is the Law 21:10  |  Bill 25/11/09
  95.   #3 Esther EXACTLY 21:15  |  English Resident 25/11/09
  96.   CJ, brainless 21:19  |  SDHD 25/11/09
  97.   CJ`s "illegality," 21:21  |  SDHD 25/11/09
  98.   Don Boston and empty rhetoric 21:22  |  SDHD 25/11/09
  99.   Pals problem has always been Israel, not settlements. 21:29  |  Kenny 25/11/09
  100.   All that means nothing! 21:30  |  Tony Silver 25/11/09
  101.   Thank you Netanyahu for your Generosity, you are the man! 21:32  |  Sam 25/11/09
  102.   An excellent plan 21:32  |  Jason 25/11/09
  103.   They will continue to settle everywhere else though 21:38  |  Marc Leb 25/11/09
  104.   cj #83 21:39  |  Jasper 25/11/09
  105.   No 11 - Mike 21:41  |  Robbie 25/11/09
  106.   If AIPAC likes it it`s surely a fake 21:46  |  Dave 25/11/09
  107.   Netanyahu 21:52  |  Joshua 25/11/09
  108.   #12 21:52  |  Joe 25/11/09
  109.   CJ - Re: Acquiring territory by war 21:53  |  Daniel 25/11/09
  110.   Its just a gimmik. We are not interested 21:57  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 25/11/09
  111.   Restart peace talks on that basis. Don`t be silly. 21:59  |  alan 25/11/09
  112.   there is no left wing, Bibi is doing there job, albeit reluctantl 21:59  |  peace monger 25/11/09
  113.   East Jerusalem must be a part of this freeze, otherwise... 22:03  |  palestinian 25/11/09
  114.   SETTLEMENT FREEZE 22:06  |  Reuel Amdur 25/11/09
  115.   10 Months Feeze 22:08  |  Chris 25/11/09
  116.   negotiating with discredited group 22:18  |  sami abu ismail 25/11/09
  117.   #87 jon of Canada 22:19  |  janet 25/11/09
  118.   To Tony 22:22  |  Eamon 25/11/09
  119.   #90 David Vickery re Palin whackos 22:25  |  ballistic 25/11/09
  120.   @Jackie # 53 22:40  |  yuval 25/11/09
  121.   #91 22:42  |  Harold 25/11/09
  122.   Freeze ARAB building within Israel 22:48  |  Randy Newman 25/11/09
  123.   The Jews INVENTED Jerusalem--no one has the right to exclude us 22:50  |  Tony Alamo 25/11/09
  124.   #94 22:51  |  Harold 25/11/09
  125.   Natallie 22:53  |  Ehud 25/11/09
  126.   #15 22:59  |  Harold 25/11/09
  127.   Hey Ballistic ! 23:01  |  David James Vickery 25/11/09
  128.   One small step, for mankind..? 23:01  |  Stephen. 25/11/09
  129.   Freeze the word Freeze 23:02  |  Confused 25/11/09
  130.   Israel and PA learning they have limited control of outcome 23:03  |  Bloodyscot 25/11/09
  131.   jon from Montreal (87) 4th try 23:33  |  O 25/11/09
  132.   response to Corey from Sydney 23:36  |  Mike 25/11/09
  133.   Bibi seems intent on keeping 300,000 settlers in WB... 23:37  |  Esther 25/11/09
  134.   Response to CJ from Sydney on "gassed Jews" 23:40  |  Mike 25/11/09
  135.   im the mechanic-is a nut on a loose screw 23:56  |  hacksaw 25/11/09
  136.   We love Chavy Belfast, don`t we Victor Hardman? 00:06  |  David Ben Cohen 26/11/09
  137.   Steve #79, Landau probably looks so anguished 00:08  |  Esther 26/11/09
  138.   Hello Palestinian#100 speaking precondition prior to negotiation 00:08  |  Sarah 26/11/09
  139.   SDHD P1 00:47  |  TonyL 26/11/09
  140.   SDHD P2 00:49  |  TonyL 26/11/09
  141.   SDHD P3 00:50  |  TonyL 26/11/09
  142.   And at the end of 10 months? Then what? 01:04  |  Damian Lataan 26/11/09
  143.   So its a construction freeze where construction continues 02:05  |  Johnboy 26/11/09
  144.   A distinct hardening of the American response. 02:41  |  Johnboy 26/11/09
  145.   # Hi ballistic. Pallin makes one wonder... 02:48  |  Maureen Ann 26/11/09
  146.   Palestinian in Washington: It`s not enough? 03:45  |  SDHD 26/11/09
  147.   #95 Not just AIPAC, Dave 04:43  |  Johnboy 26/11/09
  148.   netanyahu`s transparent facade; for 10 whole months, mind you 07:41  |  eric 26/11/09
  149.   PALS panic,Israeli cabinet calls their bluff.Next excuse ? 07:47  |  PETER SM 26/11/09
  150.   jon from Montreal (87) 7th try 12:03  |  OOO 26/11/09
  151.   #113 Hey there Maureen 18:32  |  ballistic 26/11/09
  152.   #117 Hey there Eric 18:41  |  ballistic 26/11/09
  153.   TonyL on showcasing the root of the problem 19:10  |  SDHD 26/11/09
  154.   OOO on "two wrongs" 19:14  |  SDHD 26/11/09
  155.   SDHD - yes 20:01  |  O 26/11/09
  156.   OOO who`s doing the misrepresenting? 20:22  |  SDHD 26/11/09
  157.   SDHD on the Taba summit 20:25  |  O 26/11/09
  158.   O doesn`t understand the Clinton parameters either 20:36  |  SDHD 26/11/09
  159.   OOO on the offer 20:37  |  SDHD 26/11/09
  160.   Offer 20:47  |  O 26/11/09
  161.   OOO still hung up on the offer 20:59  |  SDHD 26/11/09
  162.   In Defence CJ, The Canadian Experience Was Not the Same.. 00:36  |  Reader 27/11/09
  163.   #87 jon`s less than valid historical comparisons 02:52  |  eric 27/11/09
  164.   #135 Hacksaw I hope your blade is sharper than your wit! 05:23  |  jim the mechanic 27/11/09
  165.   SDHD in San Diego 05:30  |  jim the mechanic 27/11/09
  166.   Nice try Mike - Nothing relevant to today`s Palestinians 05:47  |  CJ 27/11/09
  167.   #87 jon`s less than valid historical comparisons (3rd try) 05:50  |  eric 27/11/09
  168.   What is it about ILLEGAL that Israel does not undertand? 05:54  |  CJ 27/11/09
  169.   CJ Australia 11:28  |  The Teacher/Instruct 27/11/09
  170.   eric in nm, janet, O, and cj 21:10  |  jon 27/11/09
  171.   the bottom line 21:42  |  jon 27/11/09
  172.   #170 jon, i really doubt that you understand as much as you think 05:31  |  eric 28/11/09
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