The U.S. State Department seems to have toned down its demand on Israel to freeze construction within Judea and Samaria. In a media briefing Monday, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly reiterated that the obligations signed by Israel under the Roadmap requires Israel to freeze all construction within Judea and Samaria, including “natural growth.” Nevertheless, Kelly hinted that the U.S. is open to “negotiations.”

“Well, inherent in the word ‘negotiation’ is, of course, sitting down and finding what one side – what the other side wants and then working out a way to come to a resolution that leads to our goal of a lasting peace in the Middle East,” Kelly said. “I’m not going to say we’re not willing to compromise or – I mean, let’s just see what happens,” the State Department official added, referring to Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s intended meeting Tuesday with U.S. special envoy George Mitchell.

Full Story