According to press reports, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Friday that Washington has given Israel six months to put a stop to the growth - natural or otherwise - of Jewish communities in Samaria and Judea.
Kouchner - whose country has nurtured a longstanding love affair with the Arab world - passed this information on to Israel's enemies during a visit to Lebanon, apparently in an effort to encourage them.
The US is heading up the global effort to take the heart of the Israel's historical homeland from the Jews and give it to the Palestinian Arabs, and has in recent weeks massively intensified pressure on the Netanyahu government to "freeze settlements."
But Israel has no knowledge of any deadline being imposed, said Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon Saturday, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Last Wednesday the US denied it had reached a compromise that would allow Israel to complete the construction of 2,500 housing units in Samaria and Judea.
The denial followed Israeli newspaper reports that such a deal had been reached.
"This [settlement] activity has to stop. This is laid out in the road map" peace plan, Kelly said, according to Ha'aretz.