Israel: Netanyahu and Barak Steady the Line on Settlements

Amidst growing protests by West Bank settlers over the 10-month "freeze" on expansion by the Netanyahu Government, both Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have met settlers. Both Barak and Netanyahu tried to calm the atmosphere and urged settler leaders to cooperate with officials. The Prime Minister said:

Israel-Palestine: European Union Steps In With Call for Peace Talks and Israeli Concessions

We took this difficult decision in order to move Israel's widest interests forward. We need to pass through this period together in a spirit of cooperation.

Instead of creating an atmosphere of crisis, we should focus on getting out of this period and overcoming the problems together. We are only a few days into the process, and I ask that you show patience.

We are not your enemy, we are your brethren.

There was a subtle difference between Barak and Netanyahu over the status of the settlements.Netanyahu said: the status would be determined through negotiations after the freeze expired:

Nine months and three weeks remain to the end of this period. At the end of this period we will continue to build. I want to make clear, the future of the settlements will be decided only in a peace agreement.

Barak asserted that the settlements will always be part of Israel, irrespective of any discussions:

Settlement blocs will be an integral part of Israel in any future negotiations with the Palestinians. The Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea are regions that are dear to my heart.

The difference, however, may be inconsequential: both the Prime Minister and Defense Minister, beyond any immediate difficuties with the settlers, are pointing to an uncompromising position on the settlements in any final-status talks with Palestinians.