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Israeli Settlement Freeze Ends Sunday

   VOA News 26 September 2010
   Cranes  are  seen  over  a  construction  site in the West Bank Jewish
   settlement of Modiin Illit, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010. A second round of
   Israeli-Palestinian peace talks ended without visible progress Tuesday
   on the divisive issue of Jewish settlement cons

Photo: AP

   Cranes  are  seen  over  a  construction  site in the West Bank Jewish
   settlement of Modiin Illit, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010. A second round of
   Israeli-Palestinian peace talks ended without visible progress Tuesday
   on  the  divisive  issue  of Jewish settlement construction though the
   leaders  did  discuss  a  range  of  disputes standing in the way of a
   permanent deal.(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

   Israel's  10-month  freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank
   expires  on  Sunday, threatening to derail the latest round of Mideast
   peace talks.
   Palestinian  leaders  have  threatened  to  walk  out  of the talks if
   construction resumes.
   Palestinian  President  Mahmoud  Abbas,  in  his address to the United
   Nations   General  Assembly  Saturday,  said  Israel's  "mentality  of
   expansion  and  domination"  is  pushing  his  people, and the broader
   Middle  East,  into  a  cycle  of  violence and conflict that prevents
   genuine solutions to the region's problems.
   He  said  Israel  must  choose  between  peace and the continuation of
   settlements.
   The  United  States is pressing Israel to extend the moratorium on new
   settlement  construction and urging Palestinians not to walk away from
   the talks.
   Israeli  and  Palestinian officials met U.S. diplomats on the sideline
   of  the  U.N.  General Assembly in an effort to prevent the talks from
   stalling.
   Israeli  settlers  and  their supporters have pressured Prime Minister
   Benjamin  Netanyahu to end the restrictions. Some are planning to hold
   a  rally  Sunday to count down the end of the moratorium which expires
   at 2200 GMT.

   Â

   Breaking the 3-year-old Gaza Blockade:

   Meanwhile,  a  boat  carrying Jewish activists from Israel, Europe and
   the United States has set sail for Gaza from Cyprus in a bid to breach
   Israel's blockade and deliver aid.
   The   boat  set  sail  Sunday  from  northern  Cyprus  carrying  eight
   passengers and several crew.
   The  British  group,  Jews for Justice for Palestinians, organized the
   voyage.   The  group  says  it  plans  to  deliver medical equipment,
   children's toys and other supplies to Gaza.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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