Following talks with Binjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli premier, at 10 Downing Street, Mr Brown said that settlements represented a "barrier to peace" in the Middle East. Mr Netanyahu is on a four-day trip to Europe, and is also due to meet Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and George Mitchell, the United States envoy. Israel has come under heavy pressure from United States President Barack Obama to tackle the settlements issue as a precursor to a new drive towards peace in the region. In a joint press conference, Mr Brown said he was "as realistic as ever but more optimistic than before" about the prospect of a new peace deal. He added "I made clear that settlement activity was a barrier to a two-state solution. "I'm increasingly confident, however, that there is a genuine will to make progress, that a freeze in such activity would result in meaningful steps towards normalisation from Arab states." Mr Netanyahu said that he had made clear Israel would not build new settlements or "expropriate additional land". But he insisted that Jewish settlers were entitled to create suitable facilities on land already seized to enable a "normal life". He said: "We have moved, we expect similar movement from the Palestinian Authority and there has not been that movement. That's an understatement. "But there has to be that movement. There has to be not merely a partner on the other side, there has to be a courageous partner. "They have to say unequivocally 'it's over, we are going to make a real peace, it will be a final peace that ends all claims to further conflict'."Gordon Brown confident Binjamin Netanyahu will end settlement building
Gordon Brown has said he is "confident" Israel is willing to end Jewish settlement building in the Palestinian territories.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
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