Erekat says keys are in Netanyahu's hands

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JERUSALEM, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu holds the key to peace negotiations, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said.

The United States has proposed Israel impose a 90-day freeze on West Bank settlement construction in exchange for 20 fighter jets to get peace talks started again.

"The Israelis know our position ... . We will negotiate beginning with borders and security ... . All other core issues will be dealt with after 90 days," Erekat told Army Radio in reference to the U.S. proposal.

Erekat called for a two-state solution along the 1967 borders and said the Palestinians have already recognized Israel's right to exist.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu informed the cabinet of the U.S. proposal, which also included promises to veto any anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations and harsher sanctions against Iran.

Netanyahu is expected to bring the proposal up for a vote but is waiting to receive a written clarification from the United States, Haaretz said Wednesday.

Netanyahu's office issued a statement denying negotiations had raised the possibility of imposing a construction freeze on east Jerusalem as well as on the West Bank.