Palestinians urged to stay in talks
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The second plan is renewing building in the large settlement blocs and extending the freeze in isolated communities. As of now, with the exception of a few Israeli ministers, both Israel and the Palestinians do not accept this initiative due to the gap in defining the settlement blocs and the isolated communities.
While, according to one definition, the settlement blocs are spread over 13 percent of the territory and include the Jordan Valley, another definition determines that the settlement blocs comprise only 4 percent of the West Bank.
A third alternative is the announcement of another moratorium while establishing a government apparatus for approving construction in a controlled manner on the basis of natural growth.
It is estimated that from a political aspect, it will be hard for Netanyahu to gain support for such a move. But under certain circumstances, especially if the apparatus will be managed by right-wing ministers, it may be possible to gain approval for such a decision. It is yet unclear if the Palestinians will accept such an offer.
While the political struggle around the construction moratorium is still not over, Netanyahu will sooner or later have no choice but to convene his cabinet or government in order to gain approval for the compromise formula that will be selected and accepted by both sides.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is also pushing for a compromise and presenting the government ministers with a decision which will essentially continue the moratorium one way or another.
Israeli settler groups on Sunday afternoon ended the building freeze with a well-publicized cornerstone-laying ceremony at the Revava settlement in the northern West Bank.
Despite Netanyahu's call for a "restrained and responsible manner," hundreds of Israeli settlers and their supporters took part in the ceremony, vowing to restart building in the West Bank.
Danny Danon, a member of Knesset (Israeli parliament), said that the construction of about 2,000 housing units in various settlements would resume after the Sept. 26 deadline, according to Ha'aretz.
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