Israel set to agree settlement building freeze

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will probably win narrow approval from his coalition government for a US proposal to extend a freeze on West Bank settlement building, Israeli political sources said yesterday.

Netanyahu briefed his cabinet about US incentives for a fresh 90-day construction ban, as a Peace Now report showed settlers have been building at a furious pace.

An Israeli political source said the security cabinet vote was expected later this week and that seven ministers – Netanyahu among them – were likely to back the US proposal, against six who would vote against and two who would abstain.