Israel/Europe

Netanyahu heads to Europe

Article published on the 2009-08-24 Latest update 2009-08-25 05:36 TU

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday
(Photo: Reuters)

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive in Europe on Monday where he will face international pressure over his policies on settlement which have been blocking efforts to revive Middle East peace talks.

The trip begins in London where he will meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Middle East Envoy George Mitchell before he heads to Berlin on Wednesday to talk with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Netanyahu is expected to discuss Iran’s nuclear policy. This comes at a time when the US is threatening new sanctions should Tehran fail to return to the negotiating table.

“There is an assessment that we can [resume talks] by the end of September, depending on understandings between us, the Americans and Palestinians,” Netanyahu said on Sunday.

Correspondent Mark Lavie says despite the trip being in Europe, “the most important meeting Netanyahu has is with an American.”

"Palestinians have latched onto the American determination here to pose a condition: 'no peace talks unless all the constructions stop,'" he says.