U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Monday that Israel and the U.S. are getting closer to an agreement that Israel would stop construction within Judea and Samaria. Kelly made his comments ahead of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Wednesday meeting in London with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell.

“There have been some reports that we’re close to a breakthrough. I think I would say that – I would characterize it as that we’re getting closer to an agreement. But any reports that we’ve come to an agreement, or that we expect one on Wednesday necessarily, I would have to call premature,” Kelly said. He furthermore clarified that the U.S. demands for a construction freeze includes all “natural growth” and existing construction, as well.

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