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No change on Jerusalem, says PM No change on Jerusalem, says PM
(about 1 hour later)
The Israeli prime minister says his policy on Jerusalem will not change - a sign that a row with the US over settlement building remains unresolved.The Israeli prime minister says his policy on Jerusalem will not change - a sign that a row with the US over settlement building remains unresolved.
Benjamin Netanyahu's statement came as he prepared to brief senior cabinet colleagues on the talks with President Barack Obama. The US has not commented. Benjamin Netanyahu's statement came as he was due to brief cabinet colleagues on talks with President Barack Obama. The US says some progress was made.
The row centres on Israeli plans to build 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem. The row is over Israeli plans to build 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem, where the Palestinians want their capital.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as their capital. They say they will not take part in US-mediated peace talks. After the announcement they pulled out of planned US-mediated peace talks.
Israel insists the city will remain its undivided capital. Israel insists the Jerusalem will remain its undivided capital.
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.
Trappings withheldTrappings withheld
The row over Israel's plans for homes in East Jerusalem has caused one of the worst crises in US-Israeli ties for decades.The row over Israel's plans for homes in East Jerusalem has caused one of the worst crises in US-Israeli ties for decades.
Israel unveiled the plans to build in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo during a visit by US Vice-President Joe Biden - a move which Washington initially branded an insult.Israel unveiled the plans to build in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo during a visit by US Vice-President Joe Biden - a move which Washington initially branded an insult.
Hours before Mr Netanyahu's meeting with Mr Obama on Tuesday, it emerged that the Jerusalem municipal government had approved another development in occupied East Jerusalem.
The White House has 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.
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 "golden" solution amid US silence Views from Israel Israel-US: A bruised friendship Issues: Borders and settlementsTIMELINE: 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 "golden" solution amid US silence Views from Israel Israel-US: A bruised friendship Issues: Borders and settlements
Israeli media reports say Mr Netanyahu told the US president he needed to consult with his cabinet, which includes far-right wingers who are strongly opposed to the division of Jerusalem, before reaching agreement.
"The prime minister's position is that there is no change in Israel's policy on Jerusalem that has been pursued by all governments of Israel for the last 42 years," his office said in a statement on Friday.
But a spokesman told Israeli media there had been a "narrowing of the gaps" between Israel and the US.
On Thursday, as Mr Netanyahu returned to Israel, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said: "We are making progress on important issues."
Meanwhile, a senior Palestinian official told the BBC that to enter the proximity talks the Palestinians required assurances that the Ramat Shlomo project would not be implemented for at least three years, and that the Israelis would not "continue to take actions which destroy our credibility".
The Middle East quartet - the US, EU, UN and Russia - has called for final status negotiations to reach a comprehensive peace deal within two years.
Mr Netanyahu met President Barack Obama on Tuesday and held further talks on Wednesday with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell.Mr Netanyahu met President Barack Obama on Tuesday and held further talks on Wednesday with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell.
The White House has 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. Scant information on the content of the talks has emerged and Mr Netanyahu did not get the reception usually reserved for America's allies, with no joint press conference or official photographs of the meeting.
Scant information on the content of Mr Netanyahu's talks with US officials 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 Washington. The US asked for clarification about the Shepherd Hotel building project, which is a private plan by a Jewish-American property developer to build 20 apartments on the site of an old hotel in the predominantly Arab neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
Israeli sources quoted by Reuters news agency said Mr Netanyahu could not finalise any confidence-building measures until he presented them to his cabinet. The US protested when the project was initially approved last year.
Minutes before Mr Netanyahu's visit to the White House on Tuesday, it emerged the Jerusalem municipal government had approved another development. The final building permits were granted last week. Israel says the timing was coincidental.
Twenty apartments are to be built by a Jewish-American property developer on the site of an old hotel in the predominantly Arab neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The Jerusalem municipality has accused left-wingers and the media of publicising and distorting the information to "stir up a provocation" just as Mr Netanyahu and Mr Obama were due to meet.
The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington said Mr Netanyahu did not get the reception usually reserved for America's allies. Correspondents say the row may force the Israeli prime minister to choose between his hardline coalition partners and US pressure to forge ahead with serious peace negotiations. Mr Netanyahu will also be mindful that he needs the US on side to take tough action against Iran and its alleged nuclear weapons programme, they say.
There was no press conference and no lavish welcome.
It all signals that the US is playing tough, making clear it is upset with the Israeli government, says our correspondent.
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 is for securityPOINTS 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 is for security