Report: U.S. Won't Promise Not to Ask for More Settlement Freezes

by Herb Keinon


Israeli officials accused PA President Mahmoud Abbas of looking for excuses not to negotiate, after Abbas said Thursday he would only return to negotiations if Israel declared a complete settlement freeze for a defined period, during which the border issue would be resolved. One Israeli official said: "It is a pity he is entrenching himself in his preconditions, and we don't understand the logic. It is almost as if he is searching for excuses not to negotiate."

One of the issues reportedly holding up Washington's letter to Jerusalem regarding U.S. commitments in exchange for an additional 90-day settlement freeze is whether borders will be the focus of the first three months of negotiations. Prime Minister Netanyahu's position is that border issues cannot be divorced from other core issues. Netanyahu is apparently unwilling to pledge to wrap up an agreement on borders during the time of a settlement freeze. And the U.S. is reportedly unwilling to commit in writing that this would be the last settlement freeze it would request. (Jerusalem Post)

Herb Keinon

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