11.   All the approvals were for expanding existing settlements.

12.   But he is not prepared to stop existing settlements from expanding, he said.

13.   He added that government policy allowed for construction in built-up areas of existing settlements or within the limits of their town plan.

14.   Instead, it was decided on Thursday that the nature reserve would instead be on the slopes of the Hebron hills, much closer to existing Jewish settlements.

15.   It might have said that all building should have been stopped long since, and existing settlements handed over to the rightful owners of the land.

16.   It wants to meet the natural growth of existing settlements.

17.   New settlement building is already frozen, but Israel now permits the expansion of existing settlements to allow for population growth.

18.   Netanyahu must commit to a freeze on the building of any new settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank and on expanding the size of any existing settlements.

19.   New outposts often are created in response to Palestinian attacks on existing settlements.

20.   Now most expansion of existing settlements will be halted as well.