On Wednesday, [Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela] Holguin [who arrived on a surprise visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority], met with Netanyahu at the Prime Minister's Office. According to a senior Israeli official, Holguin told the prime minister that Abbas was in a particularly gloomy mood and sounded despondent during their talk. The source noted that Israel had received similar reports recently of Abbas' dejected mood from a number of Western diplomats. According to one report, Abbas was bitter at Netanyahu, saying that the Israeli prime minister would like to see him slaughtered because Abbas was currently the most dangerous person Israel faced. The diplomat said this week's prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas had made Abbas even more depressed.
Poor gloomy and depressed Abbas. And here is the new halt in construction idea:
Holguin told Netanyahu that Abbas desperately needed a symbolic gesture from Israel on the settlement issue. Netanyahu surprised her by responding that he would be ready to make such a gesture if it would return Abbas to the negotiating table.
He agreed to freeze construction by the government and to halt building on government land. But he said he would not agree to freeze construction by private developers on privately-owned land in the settlements. Only a small portion of construction in the settlements is carried out or funded by the government, however. Most is performed by private parties.
Netanyahu said the Palestinians were using the settlement issue as an excuse to stay away from the negotiating table, adding that his government had built less in the settlements than any previous government. Netanyahu said he was ready to test Abbas by making the gesture regarding settlements. If Abbas is serious about negotiations, he will renew direct talks, Netanyahu said.
This all sounds like Haaretz replacing the government in a putsch of print ink.
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