TEL AVIV, July 4, 2010 (WAFA)- The Israeli Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday voted down a proposal that would have given the Knesset the power to veto an extension of a government-imposed freeze on the building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, Haaretz reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday scrambled for support ahead of the vote, telephoning cabinet ministers from his Likud party in the hope of persuading them to oppose the transfer of authority.
If passed, the legislation would have severely limited Netanyahu's power to extend current building restrictions in the West Bank, due to expire in September.
Netanyahu flies to Washington on Monday, where he is expected to come under heavy pressure from U.S. President Barack Obama to keep settlement construction in check well beyond the September deadline.
Revoking the ban could also cause the prime minister problems at home: Leaders of the Labor party, the third largest partner in Netanyahu's ruling coalition, have hinted they may pull out of the government if the building ban is revoked.
Knesset sources on Sunday expressed doubt over the Netanyahu's ability to obstruct the legislation, saying that at least two Likud Ministers, Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edlestein, were expected to back the law.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has also reportedly ordered lawmakers from his Yisrael Beiteinu party, the second largest in the coalition, to vote for the law. Last week, Lieberman and Netanyahu were involved in a high-profile spat when it emerged the prime minister had authorized a secret government meeting with Turkey, without informing the foreign ministry.
As political maneuvering continued, settlers vowed to restart building in September, whatever the outcome of Sunday's vote.
Early in the morning the Yesha Council, which represents West Bank settlers, sent Likud ministers telephone voice messages that included extracts from speeches by the party's leading ideologue Benny Begin MK, as well as by the prime minister himself, insisting construction would not be halted.
Israel approved a settlement freeze in Novemebr 2009 in response to heavy diplomatic pressure. But restrictions do not apply to East Jerusalem, where continued building has led to friction with the Obama administration and frustrated U.S.-mediated peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
