(Haaretz).Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the European Union's foreign policy chief that he is ready to take a political risk to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, but only if he does not have to take a security risk, sources say.
During talks with Catherine Ashton, Netanyahu reiterated that he seeks to move forward quickly if direct negotiations with the Palestinians begin. He believes it would be possible to reach an agreement with the Palestinians within a year. A deal would then be implemented gradually over a number of years.
Netanyahu spoke as diplomacy geared toward launching direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority has not yet produced results. Washington and Jerusalem are hoping that officials at the Arab League Summit on July 29 will convince PA President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to direct negotiations.
Meanwhile, Israel is preparing for the end of the freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank, due in late September. The members of the forum of seven senior ministers are divided on the issue, and Netanyahu is ambivalent.
In recent weeks Netanyahu has coordinated efforts to move toward direct talks with the Palestinians. In recent day he has tried to rally the support of Ashton, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and the head of the international Quartet, former British prime minister Tony Blair.
Netanyahu is also trying hard to avoid the sensitive issue of the future of the construction freeze. He has not offered a clear position on the issue so as not to prevent the talks from moving to a direct phase. He says the freeze has not produced the results he had hoped for - direct negotiations with the Palestinians.
During talks with Catherine Ashton, Netanyahu reiterated that he seeks to move forward quickly if direct negotiations with the Palestinians begin. He believes it would be possible to reach an agreement with the Palestinians within a year. A deal would then be implemented gradually over a number of years.
Netanyahu spoke as diplomacy geared toward launching direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority has not yet produced results. Washington and Jerusalem are hoping that officials at the Arab League Summit on July 29 will convince PA President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to direct negotiations.
Meanwhile, Israel is preparing for the end of the freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank, due in late September. The members of the forum of seven senior ministers are divided on the issue, and Netanyahu is ambivalent.
In recent weeks Netanyahu has coordinated efforts to move toward direct talks with the Palestinians. In recent day he has tried to rally the support of Ashton, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and the head of the international Quartet, former British prime minister Tony Blair.
Netanyahu is also trying hard to avoid the sensitive issue of the future of the construction freeze. He has not offered a clear position on the issue so as not to prevent the talks from moving to a direct phase. He says the freeze has not produced the results he had hoped for - direct negotiations with the Palestinians.
