Clinton: Israel to agree to temporary settlement freeze

Israel will agree to temporarily freeze construction in settlements in the framework of new understandings that Jerusalem will reach with Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told European foreign ministers last week. Commenting on Clinton's statements, Israeli and American sources confirmed that the parties were close to reaching an agreement. But they said the deal was not expected to be mentioned publicly in the visit by U.S. President Barack Obama's envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell. Mitchell is due to arrive in Israel on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is scheduled to meet with Mitchell on Tuesday, reportedly said over the weekend that he thinks an agreement would require another round of talks with Mitchell. "The magic formula has not yet been struck," a source in the Prime Minister's Bureau said. "The gaps are not big and there are creative proposals on both sides, but the gaps have not yet been bridged." Commenting on Clinton's statement, a senior Israeli official said Clinton had told European foreign ministers that she is "optimistic" about the prospect of reaching an understanding on a construction moratorium in the West Bank.