LOC18:04
15:04 GMT
GAZA, March 14 (KUNA) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deemed
Sunday the announcement of a plan on constructing new residential units in
Jerusalem last weekend as something regrettable and hurting feelings before
claiming that "it happened in good faith."
This admission by Netanyahu came at the outset of the weekly mini-cabinet
meeting earlier today, during which he stressed that "this announcement should
not take place altogether."
Netanyahu pointed out in an interview with Radio Israel that "he issued
instructions to the effect of assigning a team of general directors to find
facts on the sequence of events in this case to ensure the non-occurrence of
such incidents in the future."
However, Radio Israel did not mention whether or not Netanyahu - who
described the announcement in the past as being "a timing error" - is going to
cancel the latest settlement project, which stoked the rage of the US
officials and coincided with the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to the
Middle East last weekend.
To engage in indirect negotiations, the Palestinians demand the halt of
settlement activities all over the West Bank and Jerusalem, and they are
awaiting an official response from the US Administration.
However, Netanyahu stressed that "it is important to realize the US and
Israel have common interests and that they will operate accorning to the
interests of the State of Israel."
Finally, the Israeli premier denied "what some Israeli newspapers reported
of analyses asserting a damage that befell the US-Israeli relations as a
result of announcing the construction of 1,600 settlement units in Jerusalem".
(end)
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