Mitchell and Netanyahu meet on settlement freeze

Earlier today, Special Envoy George Mitchell and Prime Minister Netanyahu met in Jerusalem to attempt to reach a compromise on settlement construction in the West Bank. The Palestinians have demanded a complete settlement freeze as a precondition to peace negotiations.  Since no compromise was reached this morning, Mitchell will meet with Netanyahu again on Thursday to continue the discussion. Mitchell will then travel to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Ha'aretz reports:

At the start of the meeting, envoy George Mitchell told the premier that he is hopeful the U.S. and Israel can reach agreement on the future of settlement construction in the West Bank.

"We hope to bring this phase of our discussions to early conclusion and to move forward in our common search for a comprehensive peace in the region," Mitchell told reporters at the start of the meeting, indicating he hoped to wrap up a deal.

Understandings between the U.S. and Israel on the issue would pave the way for peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Mitchell told Netanyahu.

In addition, Mitchell said he is hopeful that Netanyahu, Obama, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will jointly meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month.

The Palestinians are demanding a complete freeze on settlement construction as a precondition to peace talks with Israel.

Netanyahu is willing to approve only a partial construction freeze for a period less than the year the Americans are demanding. It is believed that the two sides will compromise on a nine-month hiatus in construction.