Israel Tells U.S. ‘No’ on Halting Building in East Jerusalem

Israel rejects US demand to halt building in disputed East Jerusalem

By James Hilder

Israel has officially rejected President Obama’s demand that it halt all construction in east Jerusalem, deepening the diplomatic deadlock between the allies just as the US regional envoy is due to renew efforts to resume indirect peace talks.

Officials said that Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, conveyed his position to the White House at the weekend. Mr Netanyahu and other senior ministers had already declared publicly that they would not cease construction in the disputed eastern half of the city, which Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day war.

The refusal cast a shadow over the scheduled arrival of George Mitchell, the US envoy whose return was delayed while both sides tried to find a way out of the impasse.

Mr Mitchell, who helped to broker peace in Northern Ireland a decade ago, is to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders and try to find a way of opening talks. However, the Palestinians have said that they will not start negotiations until construction is halted in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Israel has agreed to measures that may include allowing Palestinian security forces to take control of further areas of the West Bank and for the Palestinian Authority to open some institutions in east Jerusalem.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, called the Israeli rejection of the US and Palestinian demand unfortunate.

Benny Begin, a senior Israeli Cabinet minister, said: “It is just impossible and unacceptable that people try to impress us that we should limit construction in Jerusalem.

“Jews and Arabs can live throughout the city. This policy will be retained.”