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| Israeli PM talks of 'golden' deal | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a "golden way" has been found to revive Mid-East peace talks. | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a "golden way" has been found to revive Mid-East peace talks. |
| Mr Netanyahu's comments came as he left Washington DC after meeting President Barack Obama, and last-minute talks with Mid-East envoy George Mitchell. | |
| But he gave no details, and US officials remained silent. | |
| The row over Israel's plans for homes in occupied East Jerusalem has caused one of the worst crises in US-Israeli ties for decades. | |
| There were no photo calls with President Obama | |
| The White House had reportedly been trying to persuade Mr Netanyahu to commit to several trust-building measures to revive hopes for indirect "proximity talks" between Israel and the Palestinians. | |
| The Palestinians pulled out of moves towards talks two weeks ago, after Israel unveiled plans to build 1,600 homes in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo. | The Palestinians pulled out of moves towards talks two weeks ago, after Israel unveiled plans to build 1,600 homes in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo. |
| The project was approved during a visit by US Vice-President Joe Biden - a move which Washington initially branded an insult. | The project was approved during a visit by US Vice-President Joe Biden - a move which Washington initially branded an insult. |
| Extended visit | Extended visit |
| Scant information on the content of Mr Netanyahu's negotiations has emerged and rarely has so little been said about such high-level meetings, lasting so long, between the US and one of its closest allies, says the BBC's Richard Lister in the US capital. | Scant information on the content of Mr Netanyahu's negotiations has emerged and rarely has so little been said about such high-level meetings, lasting so long, between the US and one of its closest allies, says the BBC's Richard Lister in the US capital. |
| "We think we have found a golden way that would allow the Americans to move the peace process forward while preserving our national interests," Mr Netanyahu said. | "We think we have found a golden way that would allow the Americans to move the peace process forward while preserving our national interests," Mr Netanyahu said. |
| ANALYSIS Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor, Washington The Americans want assurances from Mr Netanyahu that they can take to the Palestinians to get them to agree to talks. It has been a difficult process. | ANALYSIS Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor, Washington The Americans want assurances from Mr Netanyahu that they can take to the Palestinians to get them to agree to talks. It has been a difficult process. |
| Before Mr Netanyahu met President Obama at the White House on Tuesday night, the message from the Israeli side was that they had made up with the Americans, and that they now understood their position on Jerusalem. But as they were meeting news broke about another housing development for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem. Afterwards, the White House signalled the crisis was not over, announcing that no photograph or video of the meeting would be released, which is a calculated snub. | Before Mr Netanyahu met President Obama at the White House on Tuesday night, the message from the Israeli side was that they had made up with the Americans, and that they now understood their position on Jerusalem. But as they were meeting news broke about another housing development for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem. Afterwards, the White House signalled the crisis was not over, announcing that no photograph or video of the meeting would be released, which is a calculated snub. |
| Even if the Americans do manage to get indirect talks going, the chances that they will make progress are slight. Both sides are politically weak - and their positions are a long way apart. To make matters worse, the entire region is more than usually unstable this year. | Even if the Americans do manage to get indirect talks going, the chances that they will make progress are slight. Both sides are politically weak - and their positions are a long way apart. To make matters worse, the entire region is more than usually unstable this year. |
| Israeli sources quoted by Reuters news agency said Mr Netanyahu could not finalise any confidence-building measures until he presented them to his cabinet. | Israeli sources quoted by Reuters news agency said Mr Netanyahu could not finalise any confidence-building measures until he presented them to his cabinet. |
| US officials speaking on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press news agency said the talks had not ended tensions over Israel's construction in East Jerusalem. | US officials speaking on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press news agency said the talks had not ended tensions over Israel's construction in East Jerusalem. |
| Mr Netanyahu had extended his stay by hours to work on a deal but the talks with Mr Mitchell ended at about 2000 (0100 GMT) on Wednesday without any announcements, one of the officials said. | Mr Netanyahu had extended his stay by hours to work on a deal but the talks with Mr Mitchell ended at about 2000 (0100 GMT) on Wednesday without any announcements, one of the officials said. |
| Mr Mitchell had returned to the US following a meeting in the West Bank with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. | Mr Mitchell had returned to the US following a meeting in the West Bank with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that President Obama had held "honest" talks with Mr Netanyahu, urging him to take steps to build confidence in the peace process. | Earlier on Wednesday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that President Obama had held "honest" talks with Mr Netanyahu, urging him to take steps to build confidence in the peace process. |
| Mr Gibbs added that the US was seeking "clarification" about the latest plans to build homes in occupied East Jerusalem. | Mr Gibbs added that the US was seeking "clarification" about the latest plans to build homes in occupied East Jerusalem. |
| TIMELINE: ISRAEL-US ROW 9 Mar: Israel announces the building of 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem during visit by US Vice-President Joe Biden. Mr Biden condemns the move11 Mar: Mr Biden says there must be no delay in resuming Mid-East peace talks, despite the row12 Mar: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the Israeli move is "deeply negative" for relations 15 Mar: The US says it is waiting for a "formal response" from Israel to its proposals to show it is committed to Mid-East peace 16 Mar: The US envoy to the Mid-East postpones a visit to Israel 17 Mar: President Obama denies there is a crisis with Israel 22 Mar: Hillary Clinton tells pro-Israel lobby group Aipac Israel has to make "difficult but necessary choices" if it wants peace with Palestinians. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu tells Aipac Israel has a "right to build" in Jerusalem 23 Mar: Mr Obama and Mr Netanyahu meet behind closed doors with no media access 23 Mar: Jerusalem municipal government approves building of 20 new homes in East Jerusalem24 Mar: Mr Netanyahu ends Washington trip talking of a class="" href="/2/hi/middle_east/8586405.stm">"golden" solution amid US silence Views from Israel Israel-US: A bruised friendship Issues: Borders and settlements | |
| Minutes before Mr Netanyahu's fence-mending visit to the White House on Tuesday, it emerged the Jerusalem municipal government had approved another development. | Minutes before Mr Netanyahu's fence-mending visit to the White House on Tuesday, it emerged the Jerusalem municipal government had approved another development. |
| Twenty apartments are to be built for Jewish settlers on the site of an old hotel in the predominantly Arab neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. | Twenty apartments are to be built for Jewish settlers on the site of an old hotel in the predominantly Arab neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. |
| Mr Gibbs told reporters on Wednesday there were areas of agreement and disagreement between the sides. | Mr Gibbs told reporters on Wednesday there were areas of agreement and disagreement between the sides. |
| "The president has asked the prime minister for certain things to build confidence up to proximity talks that we think can make progress," Mr Gibbs said. | "The president has asked the prime minister for certain things to build confidence up to proximity talks that we think can make progress," Mr Gibbs said. |
| He reiterated the American position that there was an "unbreakable bond" between the US and the Israeli people. | He reiterated the American position that there was an "unbreakable bond" between the US and the Israeli people. |
| The Israelis said there had been a "good atmosphere" during Tuesday's talks. | The Israelis said there had been a "good atmosphere" during Tuesday's talks. |
| But the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington notes Mr Netanyahu did not get the reception usually reserved for America's allies. | But the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington notes Mr Netanyahu did not get the reception usually reserved for America's allies. |
| There was no press conference, no lavish welcome, and the White House did not even release a picture of the meeting. | There was no press conference, no lavish welcome, and the White House did not even release a picture of the meeting. |
| It all signals that the US is playing tough, making clear it is upset with the Israeli government, says our correspondent. | It all signals that the US is playing tough, making clear it is upset with the Israeli government, says our correspondent. |
| Palestinians want East Jerusalem for their future capital, but Israel insists the city cannot be divided. | Palestinians want East Jerusalem for their future capital, but Israel insists the city cannot be divided. |
| Nearly half a million Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. | Nearly half a million Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. |
| They are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. | They are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. |
| POINTS OF TENSION IN JERUSALEM 1 Gilo: 850 homes approved for publication and planning objections in Nov 20092 Pisgat Zeev: 600 homes approved for publication and planning objections in Jan 20103 Sheikh Jarrah: Municipality approves the building of 20 new apartments on the site of an old hotel4 Ramat Shlomo: 1,600 homes approved for publication and planning objections in Mar 20105 Silwan: Demolition orders on 88 Palestinian homes built without difficult-to-get permits - Israel planning controversial renewal project6. West Bank barrier: Making Palestinian movement between West Bank and Jerusalem harder - Israel says it's for security | POINTS OF TENSION IN JERUSALEM 1 Gilo: 850 homes approved for publication and planning objections in Nov 20092 Pisgat Zeev: 600 homes approved for publication and planning objections in Jan 20103 Sheikh Jarrah: Municipality approves the building of 20 new apartments on the site of an old hotel4 Ramat Shlomo: 1,600 homes approved for publication and planning objections in Mar 20105 Silwan: Demolition orders on 88 Palestinian homes built without difficult-to-get permits - Israel planning controversial renewal project6. West Bank barrier: Making Palestinian movement between West Bank and Jerusalem harder - Israel says it's for security |