Defying Biden, Netanyahu's office denies vows to freeze settlements
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The Israeli occupation PM tells Biden his government will limit construction in illegal West Bank settlements but tells the media otherwise.
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The illegal Israeli settlement of "Givat Zeev", near the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on February 3, 2023 (AFP)
The office of Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied to right-wing media outlets the premier's commitment to US President Joe Biden that the occupation government would limit construction in occupied West Bank illegal settlements until the end of the year, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.
On Monday, Netanyahu's office confirmed that, during a phone conversation, Biden invited the Israeli Prime Minister to the US for a meeting, the first since the latter returned to office late last year.
The White House said in a statement that the two sides agreed to meet "probably before the end of this year." It also said Biden "expressed concern about continued settlement growth and called on all parties to refrain from further unilateral measure."
"There is not and will not be a construction freeze" in occupied West Bank illegal settlements, Netanyahu's office was quoted as saying by certain Israeli media outlets.
However, Haaretz noted that Netanyahu's staff, as well as Israeli and international media, were told otherwise.
In the same context, the Israeli occupation's so-called "National Security" Advisor Tzahi Hanegbi, also said Netanyahu "did not commit to freezing construction" in the West Bank "in any way."
It is noteworthy that under international law, all Israeli settlements are illegal, and the United Nations Security Council has condemned Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in late February that Israeli-built settlements are "illegal" and they "must stop".
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