Key points of the US package

* Israel will declare a 90-day freeze on new West Bank building, which will not include construction in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, but will halt all new projects started after September 26 when the previous moratorium ended.

* Washington will commit itself not to request any further freeze.

* Over the next year, the United States will veto or oppose any anti-Israel initiatives at the UN Security Council or in any other international forum that would seek to force a political settlement on Israel, to delegitimise Israel or to deny its right to self-defence.

* The US administration will ask Congress to approve 20 additional F-35 fighter planes for Israel, worth three billion dollars, to preserve its qualitative military edge.

* In addition, a comprehensive US-Israeli security agreement will be signed at the same time as any Israel-Palestinian peace deal is inked. Details will be hammered out in the coming weeks. afp

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