Israeli PM orders freeze to new West Bank settlement construction

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a freeze to new settlements in the West Bank, according to Israel's Army Radio.   The radio said Netanyahu had instructed Housing Minister Uri Ariel to stop the construction of hundreds of new settlement units, which the Jewish state had approved in response to a United Nations upgrade of Palestine's status to "non-member observer state" in November 2012.    Ariel, a member of the coalition partner Jewish Home Party, had threatened to deny support for a draft law on budget if Netanyahu failed to keep his pledge to go ahead with the construction of new settlements in the West Bank. Israel has yet to make any formal statement regarding the issue. Palestine demands release of prisoners and freeze of the settlement construction as pre-conditions for the resumption of peace talks withIsrael.   Speaking to the Anadolu Agency, Abdurrahim Mullewah, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization Executive Board, said Israel's move to stop new settlements in the West Bank was aimed at deceiving the world public opinion. " Israel is increasing the violence in Syria as well as giving peace messages in theWest Bank. This is deceiving," said Mullewah.