The Israeli government approved a 10-month settlement freeze tonight, with U.S. officials relatively tepid on the proposal that also drew criticism from Palestinians for failing to end settlement construction outside Jerusalem. U.S. Special Envoy George Mitchell echoed concerns of the effort for neglecting to freeze Israeli expansion around Jerusalem.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released a statement saying:
“Today’s announcement by the Government of Israel helps move forward toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We believe that through good-faith negotiations the parties can mutually agree on an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an independent and viable state based on the 1967 lines, with agreed swaps, and the Israeli goal of a Jewish state with secure and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments and meet Israeli security requirements. Let me say to all the people of the region and world: our commitment to achieving a solution with two states living side by side in peace and security is unwavering.”
Palestinian officials intend on offering full comments on the freeze tomorrow morning.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lauded the move and attempted to entice Palestinian officials to renew peace negotiations with Israel. Since Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to step down over apparent frustration regarding the peace process, both Israeli and U.S. officials attempted to assuage his concerns. This settlement freeze likely factors in to that equation. Moreover, recent Israeli construction in and around Jerusalem, coupled with tension in the city based partially on the development, increased pressure on Israel to settle the settlements issue.
