US calls for total settlement freeze ahead of Abbas meeting

[Donald Ian Rankin]

http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3722832,00.html

Obama administration continues to demonstrate involvement in Mideast political process ahead of Palestinian President Abbas' visit to Washington, Secretary of State Clinton steps up rhetoric against Israeli settlements in West Bank

WASHINGTON - The US administration was "obviously heartened" by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's offer to "immediately" resume peace talks with the Palestinian Authority, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Wednesday.

"We're hopeful that the same goes for Mr. Abbas when we see him," added Gibbs. The Palestinian president is in Washington and is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Hillary later this evening. He will meet with President Barack Obama on Thursday.

Meanwhile Clinton said Obama had "made it very clear" to Netanyahu that he expects a total freeze in the settlements. "He wants to see a stop to settlements. Not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions," Clinton said on Wednesday during a visit by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.

"We think it is in the best interest of the effort that we are engaged in, that settlement expansion cease," she said. "That is our position, that is what we have communicated very clearly not only to the Israelis but to the Palestinians and others. And we intend to press that point," she said.

...


This is the first glimmer of hope I've seen for a long time. There is no chance of a consensual peace - Israel simply is not interested; the only hope left for the middle east would be if the US forces Israel to make the necessary concessions against its will, and while I still don't think it will do so, this article makes me marginally less confident that I was.

[Howardx]

1. nice!

"He wants to see a stop to settlements. Not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions,"

[safeinOhio]

2. Not only fair, also reasonable.

It would seem Netanyahu is not interested in any solution that does not involve pushing the Palestinians into the sea.

[Scurrilous]

3. Good news!

:thumbsup:

[oberliner]

4. Good to see the US so actively and aggressively involved here

Let us hope for some positive results!

[LeftishBrit]

5. Good; hope this has some effect.

[Scurrilous]

6. Israel rebuffs U.S. call for total settlement freeze

<snip>

"Israel will press ahead with housing construction in its West Bank settlements despite a surprisingly blunt demand from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that all such building stop, an Israeli official said Thursday.

The Israeli position could set the stage for a showdown with the U.S. on the day President Barack Obama meets his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, at the White House. Abbas has said the freeze of the Israeli settlements will top his agenda in the talks.

Israel contests that new construction must take place to accommodate for expanding families inside the existing settlements, which the U.S. and much of the world consider an obstacle to peace because they are built on land the Palestinians claim for a future state.

When asked to respond to Clinton's call for a total settlement freeze, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said that normal life in those communities must be allowed to continue. Pressed on whether the phrase normal life meant some construction will take place in existing settlements, Regev said it did."

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