Netanyahu stakes claims to West Bank settlement

Israel’s prime minister today declared his country would retain parts of the West Bank forever – a statement sure to provoke Palestinians and complicate the year-old peace mission of a visiting US envoy.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid claim to the disputed territory just hours after meeting with George Mitchell, the US’s Middle East envoy. Mitchell has been shuttling between Israeli and Palestinian leaders since late last week in hopes of breaking a deadlock over Israeli settlement construction.