Israeli Army Radio reported on Sunday that Defense Minister Ehud Barak will propose a limited three-month freeze on settlement growth during his upcoming meeting with U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell in New York on Monday. The report said that the proposal is a response to the Obama administration’s increased pressure to halt settlement activity in Judea and Samaria.
According to the report, the proposed freeze would not apply to settlements in east Jerusalem and an estimated 2,000 public buildings in Judea and Samaria settlement blocs that are already at an advanced stage of construction.