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Last update - 21:19 24/07/2008
MKs okay new West Bank homes, despite vow to freeze settlements
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Ehud Barak, West Bank 

A key panel of lawmakers on Thursday approved 20 new housing units at Maskiot in the West Bank, Israel Radio reported, despite a 2007 pledge to the United States to halt construction at the site.

Jerusalem agreed to hold off on plans to build 180 new homes in the settlement, as part of a general freeze on Israeli construction in the West Bank.

But the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee has now given approval for the construction of the housing units and Defense Minister Ehud Barak is slated to grant authorization soon.
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About two dozen residents of the former Gaza Strip settlement of Shirat Hayam moved into Maskiot last year.

Maskiot was legally established in 1982, housed an army unit and a school and has had civilians living there for several years. Israel planned in 2006 to build within its confines homes for Gush Katif evacuees.

There was no immediate government response to the report, which is certain to raise the ire of Palestinian and United States leaders, who have been pushing Israel to freeze construction in the settlements as part of the road map peace plan.

Israel has promised not to establish new settlements and refrain from construction in its existing communities in the West Bank.

Still, the government has approved construction in areas of East Jerusalem past the Green Line. Although these areas are heavily surrounded by an Arab population, Israel does not consider them settlements.

"Twenty units in the Jordan Valley is significant, as there are only 1,000 ([or Israelis] in the entire Jordan Valley," Dubi Tal, head of the area's local council, told Israel Radio.

The Peace Now movement responded to the news by saying, "capitulation to the settlers" would kill chances for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and "eventually drag us to a bi-national state."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday Israel's intention would violate agreements reached in negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ban's spokesperson Michelle Montas said, "The secretary general has stressed many times before that settlement construction or expansion is contrary to international law and Israel's commitments under the road map and the Annapolis process."

The Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee earlier this month approved the construction of 1,800 new housing in Har Homa and Pisgat Ze'ev, two neighborhoods over the Green Line division.

The plan, which still requires approval from Jerusalem's local committee, includes the construction of 920 new housing units in Har Homa and 880 units in Pisgat Ze'ev.

Such expansion goes against the official stance of the U.S. government, which opposes construction in East Jerusalem.

Related articles:
  • U.S.: Plans for new West Bank settlement violate road map
  • PA official: We'll freeze talks if settlement building continues
  • Report: PM promised to build 600 homes in W. Bank settlements
  • PM okays 750 new settlement homes, says fits state policy
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      1.   OMG!! 20 homes! 20! start ww3!!!!!!! 09:18  |  Jewish State 24/07/08
      2.   when Israel is made to Pull back 09:22  |  Guy From NYC 24/07/08
      3.   That stick of Blackpool rock again 09:51  |  Clickfool 24/07/08
      4.   We Will Always Build Here In OUR Land 09:51  |  Yishai Kohen 24/07/08
      5.   GOOD, KEEP ON BUILDING. 09:58  |  Wise Saba 24/07/08
      6.   way to go Israel 10:15  |  rm 24/07/08
      7.   Building Freeze 10:21  |  Whats the popint? 24/07/08
      8.   There you go - cheat and steal more lands 10:24  |  Steve the Pals. 24/07/08
      9.   Question for Yishai Kohen # 2 10:42  |  Clickfool 24/07/08
      10.   Israel has neither legitimacy nor excuse beyond `67 borders 10:58  |  Ivar 24/07/08
      11.   Settlement building is anti-Zionist 11:08  |  Slibovitz 24/07/08
      12.   #4 Impressive attempt to turn the issue on its head, Wtp 11:23  |  Johnboy 24/07/08
      13.   20 11:25  |  Frank 24/07/08
      14.   Answer For ClickFOOL 11:31  |  Yishai Kohen 24/07/08
      15.   Arabs have no case as to the Land of Israel 12:21  |  Jean Van Daem 24/07/08
      16.   #5You are an anti-semite... 12:22  |  Jewgirl 24/07/08
      17.   Timely and welcome event 12:24  |  Natallie Durson 24/07/08
      18.   Time to build thousands of new Jewish homes 12:24  |  Realist 24/07/08
      19.   Obama - friend of Israel 12:24  |  Roslyn Steinberg 24/07/08
      20.   The historical and political truth about rights and legitimity... 12:27  |  Jean Van Daem 24/07/08
      21.   Israeli duplicity 12:50  |  Iamashamed 24/07/08
      22.   Agree with slibovitz 13:09  |  thierry 24/07/08
      23.   Give me a break from these Talkback idiots 13:27  |  Gili 24/07/08
      24.   # 2 build all you like , it will be part of Palestine one day 13:30  |  SJ 24/07/08
      25.   yishai kohen 2 14:39  |  potobac 24/07/08
      26.   SJ- You can`t possibly live in Israel 14:42  |  Dani 24/07/08
      27.   why isn`t there a referendum on this? 14:57  |  Northern 24/07/08
      28.   They don`t even try and conceal their greed any more 15:16  |  Johnboy 24/07/08
      29.   Yishai Kohen from Ayn 15:22  |  Michael 24/07/08
      30.   IF ISRAEL BORDERED TEXAS? 15:23  |  CGC 24/07/08
      31.   Yes Yishai..build more its the quickest way to a solution 15:30  |  Ben 24/07/08
      32.   Abandon.... 15:37  |  William 24/07/08
      33.   above 15:43  |  moishe 24/07/08
      34.   We don`t need anybody`s ok to build anywhere in our land. 15:51  |  Chaim 24/07/08
      35.   stupid 15:58  |  ross 24/07/08
      36.   To SJ in Tel-Aviv at number 24 16:11  |  Fatima Al-Nur 24/07/08
      37.   It is more expensive to live in Tel Aviv than in New York 16:14  |  Joseph.E 24/07/08
      38.   Incredible solution 16:42  |  irishman 24/07/08
      39.   Isn`t this Getting Silly Already ? 16:46  |  Straight Talk 24/07/08
      40.   C`fool - Land Theft? Hardly 16:48  |  Fish 24/07/08
      41.   Maybe also Knesset should be treated as terrorist organisation 16:57  |  John 24/07/08
      42.   There are no legally established Israeli settlements in West Bank 16:58  |  John 24/07/08
      43.   Moving towards the One State Solution...how wonderful 17:25  |  Ibrahim 24/07/08
      44.   Ben: It Is The ONLY Way To A Solution 17:40  |  Yishai Kohen 24/07/08
      45.   Israeli promises mean nothing 17:43  |  Steven A. 24/07/08
      46.   We are never asked 17:53  |  WMR 24/07/08
      47.   you are screwed as a nation 17:58  |  Mike 24/07/08
      48.   These homes are a legit military target 17:59  |  An American 24/07/08
      49.   to irishman; I love Irish people 18:01  |  Mike 24/07/08
      50.   Building settlements in the West Bank is the quickest way 18:41  |  Diane 24/07/08
      51.   Cancel Palestine. Create Peace. 18:55  |  David 24/07/08
      52.   #48, you are sick. Haaretz, why is this here? 18:58  |  David 24/07/08
      53.   Poolr little Pals will get used to having Jews in their state 19:35  |  Sam 24/07/08
      54.   Yes indeed, MKs make a travesty of policies and promises... 19:57  |  Esther 24/07/08
      55.   What happened did they quarrel 20:01  |  egbert 24/07/08
      56.   The Jewish propensity for greed 20:08  |  It`s Never Enough 24/07/08
      57.   End arab occupation now. Back to arabia with them. 20:08  |  Isabella 24/07/08
      58.   Yishai KOhen 20:16  |  Danite 24/07/08
      59.   It is Israel`s Land 20:44  |  Brod 24/07/08
      60.   Danite: Can`t You Read? 20:54  |  Yishai Kohen 24/07/08
      61.   By launchibg Intifadah and briinging HAMAS to power, PALS lost... 20:56  |  Vittorio 24/07/08
      62.   What happened to Israel`s promise? 21:21  |  Silvienne 24/07/08
      63.   Proving Nasralla`s word: Israelis are LIARS 21:46  |  Mike from NY 24/07/08
      64.   #23 Gili 21:52  |  Boycott 24/07/08
      65.   #60 Yishai Kohen/Radovan Karadzic 21:59  |  Boycott 24/07/08
      66.   Saying one thing and doing another 22:57  |  Harold 24/07/08
      67.   #60 Yishai: OUR land ends where OUR fence stands 23:48  |  Benny 24/07/08
      68.   Adding Homes to Existing Sellements!! Mazel Tov!! 23:57  |  Miuchael Gorinsky 24/07/08
      69.   David from Boston 00:00  |  Sylvie 25/07/08
      70.   #63 Yes, wonder why US slapped Israel`s face? 00:13