Netanyahu: U.S. demand to halt construction at settlements ”unreasonable”

Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday rejected the Obama administration's demand to stop all construction activities in the West Bank settlements, claiming it was "unreasonable."

The Israeli leader made his comments during a meeting at the Israeli parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. According to him, Israel cannot "freeze life" in settlements. Netanyahu was quoted as saying by participants at the brief, that "there are reasonable requests and unreasonable requests."

Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister has sent his defense minister, Ehud Barak, to Washington this week in a bid to get a U.S. approval to allow at least limited construction to continue in the settlements.