"Dennis said, 'Bibi understood and really appreciated how much we put together [in] this package ... but felt it just wasn't enough,'" the lawmaker said, adding that the U.S. and Israel "are still talking."
Ross told the lawmakers that the United States and the Palestinians understood the "political necessity" for Netanyahu to honor his pledge not to extend a 10 month partial West Bank settlement freeze that expired last weekend, the lawmaker said. "Just as the United States and Israel understand the political necessity for [Palestinian President Mahmoud] Abbas of honoring his pledge to secure a meaningful or significant settlement construction halt," he continued. By not taking quick action after the settlement freeze expired with no deal, Abbas "demonstrated Palestinian understanding" of Netanyahu's political position, the lawmaker said Ross conveyed....
The White House briefers "also talked about the conversations the U.S. is having with the Palestinians and the Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia to try to find a way to allow a compromise to be reached on the subject of settlement expansion in order to allow negotiations to continue," the lawmaker said....
Not specific to the message conveyed in the briefing, one Washington Middle East expert emphasized "that the main point is that the U.S. is waiting for an answer from Bibi, and it is not looking good right now."..."
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