Palestinians reject Israeli move as insufficient

JERUSALEM (Reuters/AFP) - Israel approved on Wednesday a limit on West Bank settlement construction for 10 months in a bid to revive peace negotiations with the Palestinians who termed it insufficient, saying that the partial moratorium did not meet their conditions for talks.
The building freeze excludes areas of the West Bank that Israel annexed to its Jerusalem municipality after capturing the territory in a 1967 war and building projects already under way, government officials said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a temporary ease on Israeli settlement building approved by the security cabinet did not include Jerusalem.
We do not put any restrictions on building in our sovereign capital, Netanyahu told a news conference, referring to the Holy City.
Slamming the Israeli offer, The Palestinians said it would not lead to a relaunch of peace negotiations.
Any return to negotiations must be on the basis of a complete settlement freeze, and in Jerusalem foremost, said Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Palestinians rejected the measure, as it fell short of their demand for a complete freeze on settlements in the West Bank.
This sort of announcement is not a halt to settlements, because Israel will continue to build 3,000 settlement units and government buildings in the West Bank and will exclude Jerusalem, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP.
Israel must also restart negotiations from the point where they left off under centrist former prime minister Ehud Olmert, Erakat added.
Netanyahus security cabinet approved the policy, an official in his office said. The temporary suspension was part of an effort to restart peace talks with the Palestinian Authority.
It means there will be no new residential building permits issued for 10 months and no new housing projects can start in that time in Judea and Samaria, Israels terms for the West Bank excluding annexed areas around Jerusalem.
It enables us to present the world with a simple truth: the Israeli government wants to enter into negotiations and it is very serious about its intention to advance peace, Netanyahu said, according to a message sent to reporters by his office.
In a video interview posted on Wednesday on the website of Argentinas Clarin newspaper, Palestinian President Abbas reiterated his demand for a complete settlement freeze and called for US pressure on Israel.
We do not believe we can restart the negotiations with them while they are continuing building in our territories, Abbas said.
They should stop it and after that we negotiate the borders, he said, referring to a state Palestinians hope to establish in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Abbas told Clarin he did not believe the Netanyahu government was looking for peace.
As far as I know, 70 per cent of the Israelis are for peace. So they should elect a new government ... that believes in peace.
Washington reacted by saying it was hopeful the proposal could revive peace talks.
Were hoping this will in some way contribute to the resumption of negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.