Deja vu? For the 2nd time in a month, Israelis commit to settlement freeze as terror unfolds in Huwara

During the summit, a shooting attack took place in Huwara, injuring an American-Israeli couple.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel on Sunday committed to stop “settlement discussions” for up to half a year at a security summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh that was also attended by representatives from the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan and the U.S.

During the summit, a shooting attack by a Palestinian terrorist took place in Huwara, injuring dual American-Israeli citizen, David Stern, and his wife, Rachel Stern.

It was the second such summit in a month. Last month, the same delegates met in Aqaba, Jordan. The summit also occurred on the same day that a terror attack in Huwara claimed the lives of Israeli brothers, Hallel and Yagel Yaniv.

Then, too, the U.S. issued a similar statement of Israeli commitment to “stop discussion of any new settlement units for four months and to stop authorization of any outposts for six months.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the time denied agreeing to a settlement freeze.

According to a joint communique issued after Sunday’s summit, the parties parties would work together to “advance security, stability and peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

Israel and the Palestinian Authority would work to “curb and counter violence, incitement and inflammatory statements” and “prevent further violence,” the statement said.

Once again, Israel agreed to “stop discussion of any new settlement units for 4 months and to stop authorization of any outposts for 6 months,” according to the communique.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan expressed outrage, and called on the IDF to launch a military campaign against the PA.

“I say to the barbaric terrorists in the Palestinian Authority: You will never break the settlement in Samaria!”

He also called on the U.S. to stop its “hysterical pressure” on Israel.

Addressing U.S. ambassador to Israel Tom Nides, Dagan said to “come here to the hospital now and enter the room with me to look [Stern] in the eyes and give answers, give explanations. I demand that the U.S. government stop the hysterical pressure on the Israeli government against effective military activity by the IDF, against the activity of the defense establishment, [and] against the Jewish settlement in Samaria, which this vengeful terrorist attacked today.”

HuwaraIsraeli settlementsJudea and SamariaPalestinian AuthorityPalestinian terrorSharm el-SheikhShooting