EFRAT, West Bank  The Israeli police made their first arrests on Wednesday as part of the state’s effort to enforce a temporary construction freeze in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, briefly detaining the mayor of a settler council and at least two Jewish protesters. Both sides are trying hard to show how determined they are  the state in enforcing the moratorium, and the settlers in thwarting the state’s plans.

The recent decision by the Israeli government to prohibit new housing starts in the settlements for 10 months was meant to help the Obama administration’s efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. So far, it has succeeded only in pitting the settlers against the state.

The Palestinians have refused to return to the talks, saying the building moratorium is insufficient because it does not include East Jerusalem, which they hope will be the capital of a future state, and because it allows for the completion of settler homes where construction has already begun.

The settlers, however, view the pause as a grave threat. Scuffles have broken out in the past two days at numerous settlements as residents have tried to block inspectors sent by the Israeli Defense Ministry from reaching construction sites and handing out stop-work orders. The top members of the settler leadership gathered Wednesday in the settlement of Efrat, in the Etzion bloc south of Jerusalem, and poured concrete foundations for a new synagogue in defiance of the ban.