Mr.Netanyahu imposed the construction freeze under pressure from the United States, which sees the settlements as an obstacle to peace.

VOA: standard.2009.12.07

"Let us settle it, expand and love our homeland." Mr.Netanyahu reluctantly imposed a partial freeze on West Bank construction under pressure from the United States, which sees the settlements as an obstacle to peace.

VOA: standard.2010.01.03

Mr.Netanyahu has been a strong supporter of Jewish settlement in all of the biblical land of Israel, but he imposed the construction freeze last month after urging from the United States, which sees the settlements as an obstacle to peace.

VOA: standard.2009.12.10

"Abbas, during his meeting with Obama, was very clear, telling him that settlement construction was an obstacle on the path to peace and to the resumption of talks, and that this was not possible without a settlement freeze, " said Nimr Hammad.

BBC: Obama urges return to Israel-Palestinian peace talks