The United States have offered Israel to put a 90-day halt on its settlement construction activities in exchange for 20 fighter jets worth $3 billion and support in the UN, the Jerusalem Post said on Sunday.
The terms of the proposal, designed to revive peace talks with Palestine, stipulate that Israel would freeze for 90 days all new settlement construction on the occupied West Bank begun after September 26.
The deal would not apply to East Jerusalem. Washington has pledged not to strive for further extension of the moratorium, diplomatic sources said.
In return Washington has offered Israel an incentive package including 20 F-35 stealth fighter jets in a $3 billion deal. In case Israel accepts the proposal, the Congress will have to approve the delivery of the jets.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton last week. On Saturday Netanyahu relayed the proposal to his inner cabinet, a forum of seven ministers, and they are currently mulling it, the paper said.
Direct talks between Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas resumed on September 2 in Washington, after an almost two-year hiatus but are on the verge of breaking down over the issue of Israeli construction in the West Bank.
Many international bodies, including Middle East Quartet of negotiators (Russia, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union), have repeatedly called on Israel to extend the moratorium.
MOSCOW, November 14 (RIA Novosti)
