U.S. Remains Firm on Settlements

Shimon Shiffer of Yedioth Ahronoth:

The ongoing dispute between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the US administration over construction in the settlements resulted in the cancellation of the meeting that had been scheduled to be held tomorrow in Paris between the prime minister and US special envoy George Mitchell.

Yitzhak Molcho, the prime minister's special adviser, held secret talks this past weekend with senior US officials in Washington in an attempt to bridge the gaps that have had such an inimical impact on Israeli-American relations. Molcho's interlocutors in Washington said once again that the United States was opposed to continued construction in the settlements and in the settlement blocs, even if the rationale for that construction was to meet the needs of "natural growth."

Given that situation, Molcho and his American interlocutors agreed that there was no point holding a meeting between Mitchell and Netanyahu, and that talks needed to be pursued in an attempt to find a compromise solution.

A high-ranking political source said that the White House sent Netanyahu the following stern message: "Once you've finished the homework we gave you on stopping construction in the settlements, let us know. Until then, there's no point in having Mitchell fly to Paris to meet you."

Given this state of affairs, a decision was made to send Defense Minister Ehud Barak early next week on an emergency 24-hour trip to meet with senior American officials, including George Mitchell.

He is expected to propose a formula that will allow Israel to build apartments and public institutions inside the settlement blocs. Barak will also discuss the Americans' demand that Israel remove additional roadblocks in the West Bank and fully open the border crossings into the Gaza Strip. The Americans have signaled that they would refrain from pressing Abu Mazen to meet with Netanyahu in order to renew the negotiations between the parties until understandings were achieved with Israel.