The prime minister’s announcement [last] week to halt construction in the West Bank settlements will not satisfy those who consider the existence of settlements an obstacle for peace. Limiting the hiatus to a 10-month period, after which construction will resume, excluding East Jerusalem from the freeze, permitting the completion of buildings where construction has already begun and making no comment on the evacuation of illegal outposts, all raise serious doubts about the prime minister’s true intentions. …
At the same time, the decision is not meant to bring about a peace agreement, nor to offer a final resolution on the status of the settlements. Its aims are limited, too. Freezing settlement construction, including in Jerusalem, is a precondition to the resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. This is also its test. The prime minister’s decision, whose foundations are in the road map that Israel adopted as early as 2002, should have been made long ago. This would have not only prevented pressure that has been put on Israel … but the negotiations with the Palestinians would have by now reached a more advanced stage. Now, in light of the reservations included within it, this latest freeze may be perceived as insufficient. …
On the other hand, the Palestinians should recognize that Netanyahu has changed his position on two issues: the adoption of the formula of "two states for two peoples," and his willingness to temporarily halt construction permits. Both are sufficient to restart the negotiations. There are still many difficulties and complex core issues in these negotiations, which pose crash risks at every junction; however, without a resumption of talks, there will be no chance of resolving them. … Now Washington must resume action along the main track, focusing on the immediate resumption of negotiations and determined mediation until an agreement is reached. Access the full article>>
