According to a report by the Israeli newspaper ‘Haaretz,’ US President Barack Obama has asked Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to freeze construction in the eastern part of Jerusalem, beyond the 1967 Green Line, for a period of four months in order to renew peace talks with the Palestinians. Washington hopes such a deal could persuade Palestinians to accept direct negotiations rather than indirect talks, as had been planned, ‘Haaretz’ wrote, citing an unnamed Israeli political source. Netanyahu’s office made no official comment on the matter.
Nabil Abu Rdainah, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: "What is required is firstly a freeze to settlement in Jerusalem and in the rest of the West Bank before a return to any negotiations, direct or indirect."
Officials said Obama had asked Netanyahu during their meeting at the White House last week to introduce some goodwill gestures to help persuade Palestinians to renew peace negotiations, which were suspended in December 2008.
Last weekend, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told the newspaper ‘Ma’ariv’ that Washington's main demand of Israel was "freezing construction in most of the Jewish neighborhoods," listing four in east Jerusalem. He called the demand "completely unreasonable" and said it had not been accepted by any senior cabinet ministers.
