Some European countries are urging Israel to impose a third construction freeze on settlements in Judea and Samaria in an effort to coax the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. Germany and Holland are among the countries calling on Israel to refrain from provocative action in order to persuade the Palestinians to accept the recent Quartet proposals to resume talks. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has said he would rule out any further freezing of settlements saying he tried before and it failed to help. According to western officials discussions are underway in Brussels among various European Union countries over Israel's latest decision to approve a new housing project and the building of 1,100 housing units in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.