US to demand 'partial Israeli settlement freeze'

Quoting US negotiators involved in the talks, the radio said the United States was hoping to obtain a freeze on construction in isolated settlements outside the major West Bank blocs, which Israel hopes to retain in any peace deal.
 
Kerry, who is to meet President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris on Wednesday night, is currently working on a framework that would allow the ongoing talks to be extended beyond an April deadline until the end of the year.
 
Launched in July 2013, the talks have shown very little visible progress since they began, with both sides at loggerheads over a series of issues, including Israel's ongoing settlement construction on land which the Palestinians want for a future state.
 
The framework agreement is reportedly to be made public early next month when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets US President Barack Obama at the White House.
 
The PLO, and international community, have been infuriated by the ongoing construction, which has seen Israel advance plans for more than 11,700 new settler homes since the talks started, and they have balked at any talk of extending the nine-month negotiating period.
 
They have also said that when the April deadline expires, they will resume moves to seek further international recognition, a step which they agreed to suspend for the duration of the talks.
 
Netanyahu's office refused to comment on the report.
 
"The Israeli side is well aware that the framework will not be enough to convince Abu Mazen (Abbas) to remain at the negotiating table without Israel giving him something else," the radio said.
 
All settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are considered illegal under international law.