(New York Times) Ethan Bronner - After contentious meetings in the White House, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, returned home on Thursday with the task of responding to an unyielding American demand that he limit Israeli building in east Jerusalem. Netanyahu's governing coalition views Jerusalem, west and east, as the undivided, eternal capital of the Jewish people, where it can build where it wants. Netanyahu has brought up several possible gestures welcomed by the Americans, including restrictions on Israeli troop activities in the West Bank, freeing of Palestinian prisoners, some latitude for reconstruction in Gaza, and further efforts to bolster the Palestinian economy. In Israel, officials said they could not imagine how Netanyahu could agree to a substantial reduction in building in Jerusalem and still expect to hold office.
2010-03-26 09:20:24Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive