Israeli settlers warn Netanyahu of 'day of judgment'

Israeli settlers warned on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will face his day of judgment if he caves in to pressure to further limit settlement construction in the West Bank. This is not a time to mince words as this is literally a day of judgment for our prime minister and government, said Naftali Bennett, head of Yesha, the main association of settlers in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory. Yesha warned in a letter to Netanyahu of serious diplomatic and political implications if he reneges on his promise to resume issuing building permits for settler homes when a partial, 10-month moratorium ends on September 26.The issue of settlements is one of the thorniest in the Middle East peace process and is expected to figure prominently at the new round of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations starting in Washington on September 2. The Palestinians initially insisted they would not sit at the negotiating table without guarantees the moratorium on building permits be extended. But no such guarantee has been made public in statements from the US administration and the Middle East peace Quartet when they announced the new round of negotiations. Netanyahu faces Palestinian and international calls for a freeze on settlement construction.But the leader of a centre-right ruling coalition is also under strong pressure, including from within his own Likud party, to clear the way for construction of more settler homes in the West Bank.