Report: Israel to freeze settlements in exchange for Arab ties

[oberliner]

Israel has reportedly agreed to freeze West Bank settlement activity for up to 9 months in exchange for normalizing relations with some North African and Gulf Arab states, according to a Washington Times exclusive published on Tuesday.

The report, quoting Israeli officials and an Israeli specialist familiar with the government's policy, comes hours before a tripartite meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The apparent agreement contradicts expectations that Netanyahu would defend continued settlement growth during the New York meeting, despite U.S. calls for a total freeze in construction.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1116156.html