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Sun, Nov 14, 2010 | Israeli Government Press Office

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) addresses the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on November 14, 2010. (AFP Photo)

Israeli Cabinet Will Only Consider A Final US 90-Day Settlement Freeze Proposal

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefed his Cabinet Sunday on the U.S. 90-day settlement freeze proposal to entice Israel to renew limits on settlement construction and revive stalled peace talks with the Palestinians.

However, the prime minister said that the U.S. proposal for a 90-day settlement freeze in exchange for UN support and military aid is not final yet and that only a final proposal would be presented before an inner Cabinet of decision-makers.

If such a final proposal is being formulated by Israeli and American teams, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be willing to ask his ministers to approve a 90-day settlement construction freeze. He apparently reached an agreement with Washington that a 90-day building freeze will not apply to Jerusalem, and that no further moratorium would be sought following that 90-day period.

PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Start of the Weekly Cabinet Meeting:

“At this morning’s meeting, I intend to update my fellow ministers on the general outline of the American proposal for the resumption of the peace talks. This proposal was raised during my talks with Secy. of State Clinton. It is still not final; it is still being formulated by Israeli and the American teams. If and when it is complete, I will bring this proposal to the appropriate Government forum, which in this case is the Cabinet. In any case, I insist that any proposal meet the State of Israel’s security needs, both in the immediate term and vis-à-vis the threats that we will face in the coming decade.”

US President Barack Obama on Sunday called the proposed 90-day settlement freeze in the West Bank presented by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to his cabinet as a “very constructive step” that he hopes will lead to serious peace negotiations soon. “I think it’s a signal that he’s serious,” Obama said in reference to Netanyahu. [Jpost; Sun, Nov 14, 2010]

Moshe Ya’alon called the American proposal a “honey trap that will plunge us into another crisis with the Americans in the future, in three months or maybe even before then.” Ya’alon made his remarks in a forum of Likud ministers that met prior to the cabinet meeting. [Jpost; Sun, Nov 14, 2010]

Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah said on Sunday that they were “surprised” to hear about the latest US proposal for a three-month settlement freeze in return for a package of incentives to Israel and some of them did not hide their disappointment with the “sudden change” in US policy. However, they stopped short of rejecting the US offer in public. [Jpost; Sun, Nov 14, 2010]

According to a count done by The Jerusalem Post, right now, seven security cabinet members support a new 90-day freeze, six oppose it and the two Shas ministers in the security cabinet will abstain from the vote. This means that by a margin of one, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to pass his proposal for a 90-day settlement freeze when he brings the matter before the 15-member security cabinet. [Jpost; Mon, Nov 15, 2010]

Benjamin Netanyahu also made comments on his recent visit to the U.S. and the need to stop Iran’s nuclear program:

Last Friday, I returned from my visit to the US. I appeared at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly, which was held in New Orleans. Several of our ministers were there as well…During my visit, I met with US Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. I also spoke and met with various leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives. I met with senior US economic and media figures, including the top analysts and commentators in the US. In all of these meetings, I raised – first and foremost – the need to stop the Iranian nuclear project. This is the greatest threat to both world peace and the security of the State of Israel.