ISRAELI PRIME minister Binyamin Netanyahu yesterday outlined to his ministers details of a deal worked out with Washington to get peace talks with the Palestinians back on track.
Although contacts between Jerusalem and Washington are continuing, Mr Netanyahu said for the first time that Israel would be willing to implement another freeze on West Bank settlement building for a period of 90 days.
The US hopes that during this three-month period, the two sides will clinch an agreement on borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state, demarcating in which areas of the West Bank Israel can continue to build.
Washington has agreed that there will be no pressure for another freeze after the three-month moratorium.
The new building freeze does not include Jewish neighbourhoods in east Jerusalem.
Details of the deal were thrashed out during a seven-hour meeting in New York last Thursday between Mr Netanyahu and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
In return for a new building freeze, the administration of President Barack Obama will press Congress to approve the transfer to Israel of an additional 20 F-35 stealth fighter jets. Israel, which last month signed an agreement to purchase 20 such jets from the US, will receive the jets free of charge, in a deal worth $3 billion.
In addition, the US will provide wider security guarantees in the event of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Washington will also veto anti-Israel motions at the UN, and block any Palestinian move to seek Security Council recognition for an independent state outside the framework of bilateral negotiations.
Many ministers from Mr Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party oppose another settlement freeze, but analysts believe that the prime minister will be able to secure a slim majority when he brings the deal to a vote.
Ministers from the ultra-orthodox Shas party, which holds the balance, indicated they would abstain as long as there are guarantees that construction throughout Jerusalem will continue.
Jewish settlers reacted angrily, accusing Mr Netanyahu of reneging on his promise that the 10-month construction moratorium which expired at the end of September was a one-time gesture. Palestinian officials claimed they were not party to the US-Israeli contacts and have not been briefed by Washington on details of the emerging deal.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Americans know “we have a major problem in not including east Jerusalem”. He said that Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will put the US plan before Palestinian decision-makers and call for an Arab League meeting before announcing the Palestinian response.
Peace Now reported yesterday that foundations for 1,126 new homes in West Bank settlements have been laid since the 10-month freeze expired. The report by the Israeli anti-settlement group said building is under way in 61 of 121 settlements in the West Bank.