Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday said it was up to the Palestinians to decide whether peace talks resume, after Israel announced on Wednesday 10-month halt in West Bank settlement construction. "We've contributed what we could contribute; the Palestinians will make their considerations based on internal considerations that don't need to concern us," Lieberman told Army Radio. "The ball is now in the Palestinian court."

Washington welcomed Netanyahu's offer, but the Palestinians rejected it because it did not include a building freeze in in east Jerusalem.