The diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians has long been dormant but, beneath the surface, there seem to be efforts if not to renew the negotiations, then at least to reduce tensions.
On Monday, leaders of Jewish local councils in the West Bank accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of having told them that he would not be authorising new buildings in the settlements. According to some, Mr Netanyahu had said: "We can't continue developing the settlements, only safeguarding what already exists."
Building is currently ongoing in dozens of West Bank settlements, but the settler leaders claim that no new planning permits have been issued and they interpreted Mr Netanyahu's words as saying that none would be forthcoming. The settlers' Yesha Council issued an angry statement saying: "A government which doesn't build in Judea and Samaria loses its right to exist," and the Habayit Hayehudi leader, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, said that he would ensure the government continued to build in the settlements.
A Likud spokesman denied the prime minister had said he would not authorise any building. They said: "He is advancing the settlement project in a sensible and responsible way, facing a complex international situation."
While there have been reports in recent weeks of meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officials, senior government sources have denied the existence of any coordination beyond the routine co-operation between the IDF and the PA's security forces.
However, Israel is keen to avoid a renewed European push on possible sanctions, such as labelling products from the settlements.
Plans by the French government to introduce a UN Security Council resolution calling for a fixed timetable for negotiations and even a deadline for the establishment of a Palestinian state were put on hold due to the negotiations over the Iranian nuclear programme. Palestinian officials claimed last week that the French had shelved the proposal, a claim that has not been denied by Paris.
Israeli diplomats said this week that it was unlikely that the government would be launching any new initiatives with the Palestinians while the US Senate was reviewing the Iranian agreement. They said that, for now, the government wants to avoid any unnecessary tensions with the international community, even if it means angering the settlers.
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