JERUSALEM, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Building in West Bank settlements when a 10-month construction freeze expires Sunday will be carried out on a far smaller scale, Israeli officials said.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has refrained from responding to U.S. President Barack Obama's request to extend the freeze, but in closed meetings with his advisers Thursday Netanyahu said he has no intention of retracting his promise to renew construction after Sunday, the Hebrew daily Yedioth Aharonoth said Friday.
"I hope the Palestinians will not leave the talks and turn their backs on peace," the newspaper quoted Netanyahu as saying at the meetings. "Over 17 years they conducted peace talks with Israeli governments at the same time there was building in Judea and Samaria, including the last year of [Ehud] Olmert's government. Therefore if the Palestinians really want peace, they will continue talks with us in order to reach an agreement within a year".
In an effort to gain support for Israel's position, Netanyahu spoke to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, the newspaper said.
UPI
