Israel News
print
August 28, 2008
Settlement Construction Has Doubled
Jerusalem
JTA Wire Service
A new report says that Jewish West Bank construction has nearly doubled in the last year. A Peace Now report released Tuesday claims that Israel is eliminating the Green Line and continuing to build in isolated settlements. The report was released on the same day that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice met with Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators in order to advance the peace process. The report says according to aerial photographs and field visits that more than 1,000 buildings comprising 2,600 housing units are being constructed in communities over the Green Line, demarcating the country’s 1949 borders. Some 55 percent of the new structures are east of the security fence. The construction, says the report, will “eliminate the Green Line” by creating “a territorial connection between the blocks of settlements and isolated settlements in the heart of the West Bank.” Construction initiated for the months January-May 2008 comprised 443 new housing units compared to 240 during the same period in 2007. In addition, 125 new structures have been added to the outposts, including 30 permanent homes, according to the report. “It seems that the government of Israel repeats the mistakes of the past, by on the one hand negotiating an agreement with the Palestinians and in parallel constructing in the settlements,” the report summarizes. “This construction undermines the Palestinian partners and creating facts on the ground that might prevent the possibility of a peace agreement.” Rice is on her seventh Middle East trip in the past nine months. Hours before Rice’s arrival, Israel released 198 Palestinian prisoners in a good-will gesture.
Rice Praises Negotiations, Condemns Settlements
Condoleezza Rice praised Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiations as “serious” and “intensive,” and condemned Israeli settlement activity. The U.S. Secretary of State made the comments to reporters following a meeting Tuesday morning with Israel’s Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. She met earlier for breakfast with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. She later met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Rice will meet later Palestinian chief negotiator Ahmad Qureia. She will also hold a three-way meeting with Livni and Queria. Rice and Livni also addressed the issue of Jewish construction in the West Bank, which made headlines Tuesday after the release of a Peace Now report which shows that settlement construction has doubled during 2008. “I think that is no secret and I’ve said it my Israeli counterparts that I don’t think the settlement activity is helpful to the process, that in fact what we need now are steps that enhance confidence between the parties and that anything that undermines confidence between the parties ought to be avoided,” Rice said. “At the end of the day the Israeli government’s policy is not to expand settlements, not to build new settlements and not to confiscate Palestinian land,” Livni said. In a news conference with Livni, Abbas said that settlement construction is the main obstacle to peace. He said that the Palestinians will work toward a comprehensive solution.
Egypt Seen as Key to Shalit Freedom
Ehud Barak told Hosni Mubarak that Egypt is central to securing the release of Gilad Shalit. The Israeli defense minister and Egyptian president discussed the kidnapped soldier, arms smuggling into Gaza and other issues of regional, diplomatic and security interest during a meeting Tuesday in Alexandria. Barak said the return of Shalit occupies a place of prime importance on Israel’s national agenda and that the Jewish state views Egypt as a central factor in his return. He also told Mubarak that Israel appreciates Egyptian efforts to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza and asked that more be done to further reduce the smuggling. Barak also was expected to meet with senior Egyptian defense and intelligence officials.
This story reprinted courtesy of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.