Netanyahu: Demanding compensation from US
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Netanyahu vows: No third freeze
Prime minister meets with Likud MKs in ongoing campaign to enlist his party's support for additional halt in West Bank construction, demanded by US. 'No good can come of our managing Jenin sewer system,' he says
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Likud MKs Sunday in an additional attempt at securing his party's support for an additional freeze on West Bank settlement construction, which the US has demanded in order to continue peace talks.
Though Netanyahu had summoned 13 Knesset members, only eight showed up, and many said he had reiterated old arguments.
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The prime minister presented the MKs with three principles from which he would refuse to stray under US pressure. He said he would reject any additional freeze on settlements, demand that the US veto a Palestinian unilateral declaration of statehood at the UN, and stress that no agreement will be pressed upon Israel at the end of the 90-day moratorium on construction.
The state will also compensate all settlers harmed by the freeze, Netanyahu said. With regards to the Palestinians he added, "I don't want them as citizens or subjects. Nothing good can come of our managing Jenin's sewer systems."
"It is entirely my responsibility to make decisions beneficial to Israel's security," the prime minister said, adding that the only downside of the agreement to freeze construction would be that work houses already being built would have to be halted as well.
"We asked for nothing in return for the 10-month freeze, but for these three months we will demand compensation that is important to the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in answer to criticism against him.
Meanwhile, a settler protest against the inclusion of east Jerusalem in the freeze agreement with the US continued, led mainly by teenage girls. Some 15 of them protested at the home of Shas Chairman Eli Yishai, who is believed to be planning to abstain from the vote on an additional freeze. Two teens were arrested at the protest for blocking the road.
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