US denies Netanyahu's approval of redeployment plan

Spokesmen for the US State Department and office of the Israeli prime minister denied news broadcast by Israeli television Channel 2, which reported on Monday morning that Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed on implementing the second stage of the US 13% redeployment plan in the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli prime minister's office stated that negotiations will continue with the Palestinians in order to reach an agreement.

Meanwhile, US State Department spokesman James Rubin said negotiations will continue between the Israelis and the Palestinians in order to reach an agreement which may lead to another agreement regarding the final settlement.

Earlier, the second channel at the Israeli TV has said that Netanyahu has agreed to implement the second stage of the US 13% redeployment plan and reported that the agreement regarding this issue will be signed in Washington next month. This information prompted Netanyahu's office and the US spokesman to deny the news.

Rubin also criticized Israel's continued demolition of Palestinian homes, saying, "at the time when we are trying to bring the parties together, these house demolitions send the wrong signal."