Netanyahu to freeze settlement construction, return to negotiations

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is prepared to return to negotiations with Israel based on a "goodwill gesture" performed by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding the freezing of construction outside of the settlement blocs and the release of Prisoners who have been in jail since before the signing of the Oslo Accords, Maariv Israeli newspaper reported. According to Maariv, Netanyahu will pass a formal decision to the Israeli Cabinet on freezing construction outside of the settlement blocs in West Bank, as well as, releasing the prisoners as part of a U.S.-brokered agreement that will make it possible for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), who insists on a Palestinian state sketched on 1967 lines, to return to negotiations. Maariv and Israel's Channel 2 said that Abbas expressed his willingness to return to negotiations during a phone call between Abbas and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who informed him that Netanyahu is also prepared to reach a permanent settlement. Western diplomatic sources said that these are "decisive days in the American effort to bring about a resumption of negotiations." They added that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry convinced each side to the conflict to make concessions that could be presented as achievements by the other side. It's worth mentioning that John Kerry will arrive to the region on Thursday, June 27th.