Inspectors were trying to issue stop-work orders at Beit Arieh The mayor of a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank has been arrested after protesters tried to stop Israeli authorities enforcing building curbs. Avi Naim was apprehended on suspicion of disrupting police, who were trying to enter Beit Arieh to hand out orders to stop unauthorised construction work. Israel's government declared last week it would restrict residential building in the West Bank for 10 months. But settlers vowed to defy the policy, which does not include East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority has refused to resume peace talks with Israel unless it completely halts all settlement construction on occupied territory including East Jerusalem, where they want to locate the capital of their future state. 'Animals' Wednesday's arrest followed low-level confrontations between settlers and police-escorted building inspectors on Tuesday. Settlers have vowed to ignore the building work suspension Beit Arieh residents said they had been trying to stop the inspectors entering the settlement. Reports suggest that Mr Naim was treated by first-aiders following the incident after complaining of chest pains. A guard from the settlement was injured during the protest and accused security forces of acting "like animals", in an interview with Israeli media. Protests and scuffles were also reported at other settlements in the West Bank. The Israeli government has given teams from the civil administration in the West Bank the task of enforcing the restrictions. More than 100 settlements have been inspected in the past few days. 'One-time decision' Under the 10-month building pause, Israel is halting the construction of new homes in West Bank settlements, but municipal buildings and about 3,000 homes already under construction will still be allowed to go ahead. Last week the construction of 28 educational establishments was approved. Mr Netanyahu had been under heavy pressure from the US to enforce a freeze, with the settlements issue becoming a major sticking point in attempts to resume peace negotiations. He has described the moratorium as a temporary "one-time decision" saying that building would resume at the end of the period. Nearly 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built on occupied territory in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Settlement building in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is illegal under international law - although Israel disputes this. The Palestinians have refused to return to peace negotiations unless Israel completely ends all settlement activity. They have said the 10-month building-freeze does not go far enough, particularly because it does not apply to East Jerusalem.



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