Israel's expiring settlement freeze: Deal breaker?

Israel says it won't extend its full-scale moratorium on building in the West Bank. Does that extinguish any hope of peace with the Palestinians?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue new but limited construction on the West Bank settlements.
(Image credit: Getty)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government won't renew its soon-to-expire freeze on building settlements in the West Bank, although it will tightly limit new construction. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is meeting with Netanyahu on Tuesday, has threatened to abandon the recently renewed peace talks with Israel — the first since 2008 — if Israel resumes building in the occupied territory. Will Israel's limited freeze be enough to keep talks alive? (Watch a report about settlers' life)

This proves Netanyahu isn't serious: Netanyahu, a longtime hawk, insists he wants peace, says Akiva Eldar in Israel's Haaretz, but if he wants skeptics to believe him it's time for a "down payment." Instead of focusing on Israel's right to build housing for West Bank settlers, he should "transfer to the Palestinians a certain percentage of the extensive territories" Israel has designated for future settlements.

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