JERUSALEM — Under pressure from the Obama administration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began nudging his Cabinet on Sunday toward accepting a multibillion-dollar package of U.S. incentives to restart peace talks with Palestinians.
But Netanyahu immediately faced strong opposition from conservative politicians and Jewish settler groups, who vowed to block the American proposal because it would reimpose building restrictions in the West Bank for three months.
U.S. officials hope to use the three-month window to focus talks on setting final borders for a proposed Palestinian state. Once both sides agree to borders, Israel could resume building in areas that will become part of Israel and halt construction in areas that will become part of the new Palestinian state.
After a confrontational Cabinet meeting, Moshe Yaalon, Israel’s vice prime minister, rejected the U.S. offer as a “honey trap” that “will lead us down a slippery slope and into another crisis with the American administration after three months, or perhaps even sooner.”
Netanyahu told ministers the terms of the offer were still being negotiated, and he pledged to bring it for a vote before the smaller security Cabinet when the details are finalized.
The package, discussed last week between Netanyahu and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in New York, includes 20 stealth fighter jets worth $3 billion and a promise to veto anti-Israel proposals raised in the U.N. Security Council during the next year, including a potential Palestinian bid to seek international support for a unilateral declaration of statehood.
In return, Israel would renew its partial West Bank construction moratorium for 90 days, including units that broke ground after the previous freeze expired in September. Peace Now, an anti-settlement group that tracks construction in the occupied territories, said settlers have resumed construction on 1,650 units in the past six weeks.
Israel’s refusal to extend the building restrictions led Palestinians to suspend participation in U.S.-brokered peace talks.
As was the case with Israel’s previous partial freeze, construction in East Jerusalem would not be restricted under the new proposal, even though the U.S. continues to oppose such building.
Netanyahu outlined the proposal at Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, but no vote was taken. It remains unclear whether the prime minister has enough votes to get it passed.
Analysts said it remained unclear whether the prime minister was fully committed to the plan.
President Barack Obama on Sunday hailed the prospect of a new settlement freeze as a promising step toward peace, urging Israelis and Palestinians to get back into serious negotiations quickly.
Obama commended Netanyahu for making a “very constructive step” toward creating an environment for peace.
“I think it’s a signal that he’s serious,” Obama said.
Just a few days ago, during a stop in Indonesia, Obama acknowledged he was worried about the peace process and urged both sides to show more effort.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
