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Last update - 22:59 25/11/2009
Palestinians: Netanyahu didn't announce real settlement freeze
By Avi Issacharoff and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies
Tags: Israel news 

Palestinians immediately rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement of a 10-month halt in construction in West Bank settlements on Wednesday, blasting the move for not including east Jerusalem.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said there was nothing new in Netanyahu's announcement, pointing to the 3,000 new housing units under construction in the West Bank.

"This is not a moratorium," he said. "Unfortunately, we hoped he would commit to a real settlement freeze so we can resume negotiations and he had a choice between settlements and peace and he chose settlements."
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Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told reporters earlier in the day that a settlement freeze was unacceptable without halt in construction in Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as the capital of a state.

"What has changed to make something that what was not acceptable a week or 10 days ago [acceptable now]?," he told reporters. "The exclusion of Jerusalem is a very serious problem for us."

Earlier Wednesday, Netanyahu's plan drew a wave of verbal attacks on Wednesday, with right-wingers accusing him of betraying his electoral base.

"It can't be possible that Netanyahu is spitting in the faces of those to whom he promised less than a year ago that he would constitute an alternative to Sharon's policy of uprooting," said MK Yaakov Katz, the chairman of the National Union.

He was referring to former prime minister Ariel Sharon's withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

Riqht-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir accused Netanyahu of betraying the State of Israel.

"The time has for the right to fight Netanyahu the same way they fought Rabin, Olmert, Sharon, and Barak," he said, in reference to former Israeli premiers who were the target of rightist attacks.

Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing extremist in 1995 after entering into peace talks with the Palestinians.

MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union), meanwhile, said members of Netanyahu's Likud party had given the premier "the right to lead Israel to disaster."

Ben-Ari added: "Netanyahu's decree of a settlement freeze is a capitulation the likes of which we haven't known since the days of Rabin."

Left and center parties, meanwhile, expressed uncertainty regarding Netanyahu's ability to follow through on the move.

The Kadima party expressed half-hearted support for the plan, saying it "supports every step that will return Israel to negotiations and to a permanent agreement."

Kadima MK Nachman Shai said that Netanyahu has proved time and again that his decisions can be changed, so it's therefore "better to wait and see if he will stick with his decision."

"If he changes his mind, it will be clear that Netanyahu hasn't changed," continued Shai.

Another Kadima MK, Yoel Hasson, praised Netanyahu for "adopting Kadima's policy." He said that Netanyahu was "walking the same road as Sharon."

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), meanwhile, applauded Netanyahu's moratorium on settlement activity, saying that it underscores the Jewish State's unyielding commitment to achieving peace with the Palestinians and all of its Arab neighbors.

They said the move "provides a deep expression of Israeli confidence in American diplomacy and Israeli dedication to cooperation with the United States in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East."

"As Israel acts to fulfill its Roadmap obligations, the Palestinians must meet their reciprocal obligations, come to the negotiating table, and cease incitement against Israel at home and in international bodies," AIPAC said
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  1.   Ben Ari is correct 18:19  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 25/11/09
  2.   Hysteria that Leads to Violence 18:26  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/11/09
  3.   Lots of Spit 18:34  |  Mark of Lewiston 25/11/09
  4.   The implied threat, the expectation 18:39  |  ussishkin 25/11/09
  5.   Finally 18:39  |  Ollie 25/11/09
  6.   1 PA better move quick - no games allowed. It has 10 months. 19:04  |  common sense 25/11/09
  7.   Ben Ari is incorrect. Consequences for Arabs will be painful... 19:09  |  bat yam 25/11/09
  8.   Settlements 19:15  |  Charles 25/11/09
  9.   What were you Thinking! 19:15  |  Stephen 25/11/09
  10.   spitting in our faces. 19:16  |  hal 25/11/09
  11.   Sharon 19:18  |  Matthew Houston 25/11/09
  12.   " spitting " is a good start 19:48  |  Shelley 25/11/09
  13.   common sense - for Palestine there`s never been an opportunity 20:05  |  CJ 25/11/09
  14.   Time to watch the insane turn on one of their own... 20:08  |  CJ 25/11/09
  15.   #6 COMMON SENSE, MISSING OPPORTUNITIES 20:08  |  Pierre S 25/11/09
  16.   ABOUT TIME, 20:19  |  Pierre S 25/11/09
  17.   #6, 15 Miss an opportunity 20:24  |  Ollie 25/11/09
  18.   They are correct in a way 20:34  |  A Palestinian 25/11/09
  19.   Shelly #12----one clarification 20:40  |  BDF 25/11/09
  20.   #18 20:45  |  Charles 25/11/09
  21.   Settlers are able to settle because... 20:53  |  Steve 25/11/09
  22.   Ntanyahu declaration is equal Zero! 21:33  |  Tony Silver 25/11/09
  23.   Yeah, telling your people that you will drive the Jews out is? 22:24  |  Dan 25/11/09
  24.   Can you believe that statement from AIPAC ? 22:30  |  David James Vickery 25/11/09
  25.   Buying time 22:55  |  Yom Tov 25/11/09
  26.   Don`t push your luck 23:18  |  Yariv 25/11/09
  27.   Contractors order-books filled to the brink? 23:24  |  un2here 25/11/09
  28.   Dont press your luck 23:25  |  Yariv 25/11/09
  29.   Bibi a legend in his own mind 23:35  |  Ruri 25/11/09
  30.   How is this different than the last 6months? smoke and mirrors? 23:57  |  Bloodyscot 25/11/09
  31.   Now is the time for the Pals to get-down-to-brass-tacks 23:58  |  Esther 25/11/09
  32.   AIPAC lies 00:21  |  Yigal 26/11/09
  33.   This happens because Israelis chose Livni, got Bibi instead. 00:32  |  Fortuna Benmayor 26/11/09
  34.   Where is Obama? 01:27  |  Michael 26/11/09
  35.   Useless power play 02:07  |  Jan Elshout 26/11/09
  36.   Go here, guys 02:44  |  Johnboy 26/11/09
  37.   what happens after 10 months? 03:07  |  Sameer S Reehani 26/11/09
  38.   Abbas didn`t didn`t really disarm Hamas either 03:23  |  Peter Williams 26/11/09
  39.   Why a "real" building freeze with no "real" arab terrorism freeze 03:52  |  Dr. L. Brnd 26/11/09
  40.   Settlement freeze? 04:09  |  Johnnie 26/11/09
  41.   Did he say? 04:23  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/09
  42.   22 % Is Not Enough 04:40  |  Reader 26/11/09
  43.   the old Gaza recipe. . . 05:05  |  Revoltop 26/11/09
  44.   pals will never be happy.With all the international money they 08:05  |  ks 26/11/09
  45.   #6 but REAL "common sense" reveals netanyahu`s freeze as a farce 08:27  |  eric 26/11/09
  46.   Supposedly Israel wants peace...It`s an act 06:00  |  Basil 03/12/09
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