Member of Knesset Ophir Akounis, a close associate of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, said on Monday that Israel put pressure on the Palestinian Authority during the weekend visit of United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Akounis stressed Clinton's comments that the PA is wrong when it puts preconditions on the renewal of diplomatic talks with Israel.

He said that Jewish leaders in Judea and Samaria have to band together for the continuation of work and building in the area, to build as much as possible in the areas where it's possible and to protect what's there, in parallel with government efforts to maintain a normal lifestyle.