Settlement Freeze in Return for US Recognition of Settlements? -Shimon Schiffer
Sources close to U.S.-Israel discussions say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is asking President Barack Obama to renew U.S. approval of the commitments given by President George Bush to former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the foremost of which is American support for annexation of settlement blocs to Israel in the framework of a permanent peace agreement.
Diplomatic sources say the prime minister is trying to obtain clear commitments from the Americans that will not be open to interpretation, and that he can use to convince cabinet ministers to extend the construction freeze for two months.
So far, Netanyahu has not reached agreement with the White House, and therefore has not raised the issue for formal discussion in government forums. The commitments being discussed are those appearing in the Bush letter to Sharon of April 14, 2004, prior to Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the northern West Bank.
(Yediot Ahronot-Hebrew, 7Oct10)
Looking Beyond a Settlement Freeze -Leslie Susser
According to confidants, the Israeli prime minister fears that as soon as any new 60-day freeze ends, the Americans will put a "take it or leave it peace plan" of their own on the table. With the U.S. midterm elections over, Obama might feel able to publicly present parameters for a peace deal that Netanyahu would find impossible to accept. Israel might then find itself totally isolated and under intolerable international pressure.
That is a scenario Netanyahu hopes the current negotiations with the Americans will help him avoid.
(JTA)
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Sources close to U.S.-Israel discussions say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is asking President Barack Obama to renew U.S. approval of the commitments given by President George Bush to former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the foremost of which is American support for annexation of settlement blocs to Israel in the framework of a permanent peace agreement.
Diplomatic sources say the prime minister is trying to obtain clear commitments from the Americans that will not be open to interpretation, and that he can use to convince cabinet ministers to extend the construction freeze for two months.
So far, Netanyahu has not reached agreement with the White House, and therefore has not raised the issue for formal discussion in government forums. The commitments being discussed are those appearing in the Bush letter to Sharon of April 14, 2004, prior to Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the northern West Bank.
(Yediot Ahronot-Hebrew, 7Oct10)
Looking Beyond a Settlement Freeze -Leslie Susser
According to confidants, the Israeli prime minister fears that as soon as any new 60-day freeze ends, the Americans will put a "take it or leave it peace plan" of their own on the table. With the U.S. midterm elections over, Obama might feel able to publicly present parameters for a peace deal that Netanyahu would find impossible to accept. Israel might then find itself totally isolated and under intolerable international pressure.
That is a scenario Netanyahu hopes the current negotiations with the Americans will help him avoid.
(JTA)
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