Washington: US Stops Urging Settlement Freeze

The United States has quit asking "Israel" to extend a partial freeze on its settlement activities on the occupied Palestinian lands, a senior White House official says.

"After consultations with the parties, we've determined that a moratorium extension will not at this time determine the best basis for resuming direct negotiations," the official who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP on Tuesday.

In late September, "Israel" rejected to extend the 10-month partial freeze on its construction and expansion of illegal "Israeli" settlements. The refusal stalled Tel Aviv's direct talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA), which had started earlier that month in the United States.

The PA has demanded an end to "Israeli" settlement activities in return for the resumption of negotiations.

Previously, Washington had offered "Israel" 20 F-35 fighter jets, which are the newest model of US-made fighter jets, in exchange for a six-month settlement freeze.

All settlements are illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which "Israel" is a signatory, but the "Israeli" government has ignored this obligation, and has transferred over 500,000 "Israeli" civilians into settlements constructed on stolen Palestinian land since 1967.