Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon of the Likud told Army Radio on Tuesday that he was not aware of any silent freeze on construction in Judea and Samaria. Earlier, the radio station reported that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had met Housing Minister Uri Ariel and asked him to halt promotion of new projects in Judea and Samaria, including by no longer putting up for bids tenders on new projects. "The Prime Minister clearly said that he is willing to negotiate, but without preconditions, and a silent freeze is a precondition,” Danon said in response to the report. "We saw this past week the murder of Evyatar Borovsky, who left behind a widow and five children. The Palestinians do not deserve a reward, so there will be no freeze like that,” added Danon. Minister Ariel used vague wording when asked if the Bayit Yehudi party would vote against the proposed budget if Netanyahu follows through on the reported freeze. Ariel refused to confirm the report about the freeze, and about a meeting on the subject between him and Prime Minister Netanyahu. "I do not confirm things that I do with the Prime Minister," he told Army Radio . "I cannot respond to that." When asked about his commitment several weeks ago, to vote against the budget unless construction is allowed to take place throughout Israel, he replied evasively: "I said that if the budget does not reflect construction we will consider our support for the budget. I usually stand behind my word, and I will do so this time, too."
