Defying US pressure, Netanyahu pledges to continue building settlements

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Wednesday his government’s commitment to continue building and developing Israeli settlement projects, without any interruptions.

Netanyahu said: “We are building continuously. We will continue building and developing everywhere, including the settlements.”

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Netanyahu’s uncompromising stance comes in response to several weeks of intense pressure from the Americans urging Israel to stop announcing new plans for settlement expansion.

In his speech to the Likud convention, Netanyahu also reiterated that he will put any agreement reached with the Palestinians before the Knesset and to a referendum.

He stressed that settlements are not the reason for why the peace negotiations have stalled, and instead blamed the Palestinians’ refusal to recognise Israel a national home for Jews.

Concerning the Iranian issue, Netanyahu vowed that Israel would not allow Iran to become a nuclear power. He said: “I choose my words precisely. Israel will not allow Iran to own nuclear weapons or to even reach the stage where it could become a nuclear power.”