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Netanyahu set for US London talks Netanyahu set for US London talks
(about 1 hour later)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to continue his four-day tour of Europe with a meeting in London with top US diplomat George Mitchell. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet US envoy George Mitchell in London as part of efforts to reach a deal on settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The two men are expected to discuss the issue of Israeli settlement-building in the occupied West Bank. The US is pushing for a total stop to Israeli construction, in the hope of kick-starting stalled peace talks.
Earlier, during talks with British PM Gordon Brown, Mr Netanyahu promised no new settlements would be built, amid efforts to restart peace talks. On Tuesday, during talks with UK PM Gordon Brown, Mr Netanyahu rejected any construction freeze in East Jerusalem.
The US and UK have been putting pressure on Israel to end construction. He also reiterated calls that the Palestinians recognise Israel as a Jewish state.
Following talks with Mr Brown on Tuesday, Mr Netanyahu said Israel intended to "move forward" on dealing with the issue. Mr Netanyahu says Israel will not build new settlements, but wants to continue building within existing ones to allow for the "natural growth" of the communities living there.
"With the help of our friends in the United States, in Britain and elsewhere, I think we can achieve progress that may confront the cynics and surprise the world but there is no substitute for courageous leadership on all sides." The Palestinians have refused to re-enter peace negotiations unless Israel completely halts all settlement activity.
He called for Palestinian leaders to be "be courageous partners for peace". Mr Netanyahu said he was seeking a "bridging formula which will enable us to launch a peace process and enable those residents (settlers) to live normal lives".
The US has in recent months pressured Israel over a construction project in occupied East Jerusalem, where the Palestinians want the capital of their future state.
Israel annexed the area in 1981, in a move not recognised by the international community.
Mr Netanyahu said Jerusalem was Israel's "indivisible" capital. "Jerusalem is not a settlement," he said.
He called for the Palestinians to be "be courageous partners for peace" and said he believed progress could be achieved that "may confront the cynics and surprise the world".
Slow movementSlow movement
The US administration has been putting Mr Netanyahu under pressure to freeze all settlement work, which has strained normally close ties. The US pressure on Mr Netanyahu has has strained normally close Israel-US ties.
Mr Brown has repeatedly called for a freeze on building, warning that the issue is an obstacle to peace in the Middle East. BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen says Israeli and international diplomats have been hinting that Mr Netanyahu and the US envoy may be close to some sort of compromise.
But the Israeli government insists settlements must be allowed to enjoy "natural growth", so families are not split up by any freeze. Anything that allows the Israelis to continue building in the territories can be packaged by Mr Netanyahu as a victory and will cost President Barack Obama some of the credibility he has built up in the Arab Middle East, our correspondent says.
The BBC's Paul Wood in Jerusalem says that after months of negotiations, Israel appears to be moving slowly towards a position that allows peace talks to resume. But even so, he adds, the US administration may calculate that it is worth it if the result is the resumption of meaningful talks.
Mr Netanyahu will wait to hear details from Mr Mitchell on what concessions Arab countries are prepared to give in return, but nothing is yet finalised and Wednesday's meeting is not expected to bring a major breakthrough, says our correspondent. After meeting Mr Mitchell in London, Mr Netanyahu is travelling to Berlin, the next stop on his four-day European tour.
After meeting Mr Mitchell in London, Mr Netanyahu is travelling to Berlin.
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