Although the Israeli Goverment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to freeze the construction of settlements in the West Bank altogether, it is imposing a moratorium on the building of new homes in the occupied territories — and it is willing to use force against Israeli settlers who refuse to abide by it.

Some Jewish colonists were so enraged by the government’s announced settlement freeze that Defense Minister Ehud Barak felt compelled to warn them that military force might be used if they continue to flout the ten-month agreement. Settlers have repeatedly blocked inspectors and security personnel from entering their communities with resistance growing increasingly hostile.

According to a memo leaked to Israeli media, the Defense Department is preparing to deploy unmanned drones to photograph illegal settlement construction. The document goes on to specify that military police, special forces and communication specialists to jam cell phone frequences could all be called upon to enforce order.

The plan was probably leaked by settler sympathizers although there are skeptics who suggest that the authorities themselves were responsible as it could help the government portray itself as willing to confront domestic opposition for the sake of attaining peace.

Peace, however, is hardly to become a reality any time soon. With about 300,000 Israelis currently living in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authorities rejected the Netanyahu Goverment’s compromise to slowdown settlements construction with the exception of East Jerusalem and 3,000 homes currently under construction in the West Bank. Seeing as how the United States also insist that Israel shut down settlement construction in its entirety, there is little reason to assume that any sort of negotiations will be resumed in the near future.