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Last update - 09:39 27/02/2009
Israel planning mass expansion of West Bank settlement bloc
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: settlements, Green Line 

Despite the state's formal commitment not to expand West Bank settlements, a government agency has been promoting plans over the past two years to construct thousands of housing units east of the Green Line, Haaretz has learned.

The plans, which have not yet been approved by the government, were drawn up by the Civil Administration, the government agency responsible for nonmilitary matters in the West Bank. Details of the plans appear in the minutes of the agency's environmental subcommittee, which were obtained by the B'Tselem organization under the Freedom of Information Act.

The plans propose the initial construction of 550 apartments in Gva'ot, located near Alon Shvut in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, followed by construction of another 4,450 units at a later stage. At present, Gva'ot is inhabited by 12 families. The neighboring settlement of Bat Ayin, which has about 120 families, is slated to receive another 2,000 apartments, according to the plans.
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Rimonim will get another 254 apartments if the plans are approved, and expansion plans are also in the works for Einav and Mevo Dotan. All three of these settlements are east of the separation fence.

Ma'aleh Adumim has included planned construction in the E-1 corridor in its sewage treatment plans. That corridor, which links Ma'aleh Adumim to Jerusalem, is eventually slated to hold some 3,500 apartments.

Nearby Kfar Adumim's sewage treatment plan predicts that the settlement will double its population "in the coming years," to 5,600 inhabitants. And in Eshkolot, the Civil Administration instructed the settlement to draw up a sewage plan adequate for a population five times its current one.

A Civil Administration spokesman said that its "environmental subcommittee does not discuss approval for housing units at all, but deals with the professional aspects of the area's environmental needs, sometimes at the theoretical level."

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      1.   There should be more settlers 04:32  |  Hector 27/02/09
      2.   Oppenheimer must be elated 05:00  |  Dwido 27/02/09
      3.   Alright folks, show`s over. 05:15  |  Maoz 27/02/09
      4.   Mitchell is in town, I hear..... 05:30  |  Johnboy 27/02/09
      5.   It`s about time 06:02  |  Chaim Aschlocher 27/02/09
      6.   A solution of a different kind 09:40  |  Avraham 27/02/09
      7.   67 borders 09:50  |  Dr Eric 27/02/09
      8.   Israel is probing to see how far the US will allow it to go 10:09  |  Clickfool 27/02/09
      9.   It is significant to note: All activities are aimed at existing.. 10:11  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 27/02/09
      10.   expansion 10:26  |  rm 27/02/09
      11.   settlers 10:32  |  Freedom 27/02/09
      12.   It is not entirely clear to me: why Jews may not reside in Judea 11:09  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 27/02/09
      13.   the headline is misleading 11:18  |  scallywag 27/02/09
      14.   Puffing more smoke into the pipe dream 11:19  |  Tzfonit 27/02/09
      15.   to #7 Dr Eric 11:53  |  pitcher 27/02/09
      16.   #12 Answer to fictitious Jehuda 11:54  |  Jacob 27/02/09
      17.   The credibility of Israel is ebbing away 12:26  |  Manny Goldstein 27/02/09
      18.   Let´s see... 13:12  |  Anne 27/02/09
      19.   Obama needs to put his foot down 13:36  |  Giora Me`ir 27/02/09
      20.   # 12 13:39  |  Giora Me`ir 27/02/09
      21.   # 7 eric 13:58  |  Axel 27/02/09
      22.   "Fine", writes Giora Meir, # 20. "Then Palestinians, wherever... 13:59  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 27/02/09
      23.   It is Israel`s Land! 14:02  |  Brod 27/02/09
      24.   The sewage plans 14:04  |  sh 27/02/09
      25.   #12 Whose laws then apply? 14:10  |  Stephen L 27/02/09
      26.   keep building the arabs will love 14:58  |  sam i am 27/02/09
      27.   Settlements can be useful for peace 15:05  |  Bill 27/02/09
      28.   Alas, Finkelstein is right 15:10  |  Hanoman 27/02/09
      29.   More Thousand and One Arabian Nights 15:16  |  Gabriel 27/02/09
      30.   The behavior of a thief (ad Manny Goldstein) 15:25  |  Benomin 27/02/09
      31.   Then we wonder why there is still no peace.... 15:34  |  Seth 27/02/09
      32.   #20 15:41  |  Eirc 27/02/09
      33.   # 23 16:09  |  Giora Meir 27/02/09
      34.   US would do better to end Israel?s Settements Enterprise ambition 16:13  |  Ivar 27/02/09
      35.   War to the bitter end. Mutual annihilation. Finally. 16:20  |  Lou Medel 27/02/09
      36.   giora me`ir 16:22  |  saul a. readner 27/02/09
      37.   Israel sends a clear non-violent message 17:00  |  Doc Holliday 27/02/09
      38.   This is illegal 17:08  |  d 27/02/09
      39.   This sends a clear message 17:11  |  American 27/02/09
      40.   "Forbidden: `Jews` to purchase, own or live on land." Apartheid? 17:12  |  just wondering 27/02/09
      41.   "Fine", writes Giora Meir, # 20. "Then Palestinians, ... 17:22  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 27/02/09
      42.   Israel - becoming blind or just stupid? 17:22  |  H 27/02/09
      43.   #20 Giora and his Virtual World 17:24  |  Ari ben Yisrael 27/02/09
      44.   #19 Giora M`eir "Obama needs to put his foot down" 17:31  |  H 27/02/09
      45.   Israel-The Honest Broker 17:43  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/09
      46.   # 24 17:43  |  Giora Me`ir 27/02/09
      47.   Its things like this that disgust me 17:51  |  Arab 27/02/09
      48.   And the World Lets Them... 17:55  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/09
      49.   dear tzfonit,you`re not quite there 18:09  |  thelma 27/02/09
      50.   two state delusion 18:26  |  Mark 27/02/09
      51.   To #21 18:33  |  Elizabeth 27/02/09
      52.   Expansion of settlements in WB is the only way to defeat hamas 18:48  |  George duraisingh 27/02/09
      53.   Israeli settlements end the 2 state solution 18:57  |  Janice 27/02/09
      54.   West Bank 19:04  |  JM Potter 27/02/09
      55.   Seth @#22 19:33  |  Akiva P 27/02/09
      56.   The same buldozers that destroied Gosh Katif 19:38  |  Sabra 27/02/09
      57.   No expansion: No piece. Peace by living in our Land 19:43  |  Yehuda 27/02/09
      58.   Route of the caravan 19:52  |  Chrisona 27/02/09
      59.   #12 Jehuda Ben-Israel, Palestinians in Israel cannot buy land 19:57  |  Ben Alofs 27/02/09
      60.   Win-win situation 20:03  |  Chrisona 27/02/09
      61.   Jewish settlers, brave heroes of Israel 20:06  |  Orkochav 27/02/09
      62.   Bass-ackwards 20:09  |  Chrisona 27/02/09
      63.   Saul Readner, the difference between those Jews and Arabs 20:12  |  Ben Alofs 27/02/09
      64.   VERY GOOD NEWS 20:12  |  Richard 27/02/09
      65.   The settlements. 20:17  |  Jean Van Daem 27/02/09
      66.   "Forbidden:` Jews` to purchase, own or live on land." Apartheid? 20:20  |  just wondering 27/02/09
      67.   SETTLEMENTS 20:23  |  George 27/02/09
      68.   #17:Manny, The same is true of all countries, so what! 20:42  |  Doc Holliday 27/02/09
      69.   "Forbidden: `Jews` to purchase, own or live on land." Apartheid? 21:01  |  just wondering 27/02/09
      70.   Jews returning to native Jewish homeland. 21:07  |  Bennie 27/02/09
      71.   If true, this is GREAT news! 21:07  |  Chaim 27/02/09
      72.   Building their own trap 21:40  |  Gabriel 27/02/09
      73.   Makes no sense . . . Settlements expansion 22:32  |  John Eason 27/02/09
      74.   The West Bank now looks like Swiss Chease 22:59  |  Antonio da Silva 27/02/09
      75.   Justified retaliation for failure of Arabs to end terrorism 22:59  |  Dr. L. Brnd 27/02/09
      76.   There should be and would be... 23:01  |  Maureen Ann 27/02/09
      77.   just wondering 23:13  |  NO 27/02/09
      78.   Jehudah Ben-Israel - SURE 23:15  |  MANNY 27/02/09
      79.   #34 John Eason 23:15  |  BDS 27/02/09
      80.   #30 just wondering 23:19  |  BDS 27/02/09
      81.   Seth #22: read a history book 23:24  |  Ari Ben-Canaan 27/02/09
      82.   #17--Speak up 23:37  |  Don Rosenberg 27/02/09
      83.   To Clickfool (#8) 23:43  |  flyingdoc57 27/02/09
      84.   Hey Bibi 23:48  |  Heinz 27/02/09
      85.   Obama needs to set deadline for West Bank pullout 23:50  |  Ivar 27/02/09
      86.   energy 00:13  |  Huegelsberger Jochi 28/02/09
      87.   #25 Elizabeth 00:26  |  Stuart 28/02/09
      88.   Settlers? 00:40  |  Nathan 28/02/09
      89.   Two State Solution: 00:59  |  steve dill 28/02/09
      90.   More stealing, more theft 01:11  |  j 28/02/09
      91.   Settlement expansion 01:18  |  KR 28/02/09
      92.   energy 2 01:26  |  Huegelsberger Joachi 28/02/09
      93.   Settlers Can Be Citizens of Palestine 01:29  |  Binyamin 28/02/09
      94.   To John Eason 01:39  |  Mongo 28/02/09
      95.   to # 21 Al-Sam-I-Am 01:46  |  Teddy 28/02/09
      96.   Israel does not want peace. 01:56  |  RG 28/02/09
      97.   Stuart who calls history a fairy tale lol 01:58  |  Elizabeth 28/02/09
      98.   Isreal wants to have the Palestinians join the rest of Israel 02:24  |  Jon 28/02/09
      99.   I guess by now liberals 02:31  |  Mark Lincoln 28/02/09
      100.   Response to #31 02:49  |  Jalil 28/02/09
      101.   Occupation 03:18  |  Ed 28/02/09
      102.   Haaretz is blacklisting me! No freedom of expression I guess 03:27  |  Nechama 28/02/09
      103.   Existential threat 03:46  |  li wong 28/02/09
      104.   Israel and their nonviolent response troubles Israel haters 03:48  |  Doc Holliday 28/02/09
      105.   #12 The short answer, Jehudah 03:53  |  Johnboy 28/02/09
      106.   The paths forward 03:57  |  li wong 28/02/09
      107.   Peace AT What Price? 04:00  |  Moshe 28/02/09
      108.   Last time I checked Clickfool;Obama was not the PM of Israel! 04:04  |  glenna 28/02/09
      109.   #41 Mark Lincoln - Re.your racist remark! 04:05  |  Gordon Avraami 28/02/09
      110.   The paths forward 04:06  |  li wong 28/02/09
      111.   Peace is around the corner... 04:17  |  Murat 28/02/09
      112.   Shameful 04:23  |  Patriot 28/02/09
      113.   #44 Johnboy 04:42  |  Moshe 28/02/09
      114.   Refuttal . . . #39 BDS (planet x); #54 Mongo, Paris 05:23  |  John Eason 28/02/09
      115.   Great news 05:29  |  David 28/02/09
      116.   Keep building 06:41  |  Gregor 28/02/09
      117.   more settlers 07:36  |  Phil Craig 28/02/09
      118.   Israel and Iran have something in common 07:43  |  Marvin Gaye 28/02/09
      119.   #115 ... beautiful 07:46  |  Phil Craig 28/02/09
      120.   What is the meaning of being a settler? 08:32  |  Jean Van Daem 28/02/09
      121.   The Palestinians in Gaza prove there is no point in giving up the 09:19  |  Susanna/shoshana 28/02/09
      122.   i am totally in support of SETTLEMENT 10:17  |  haim beyad-halashon 28/02/09
      123.   # 3 spooky; isn`t it, maoz? (3rd try) 10:34  |  eric 28/02/09
      124.   opinion on West Bank expansion 20:32  |  Elias.... 28/02/09
      125.   to Dr Eric #7 - 2nd try 00:58  |  zeev 01/03/09
      126.   Obviously the talk of "Peace" is a sham. 04:18  |  . 01/03/09
      127.   #113 Moshe. 05:48  |  Johnboy 01/03/09
      128.   to Dr Eric #7 - 3rd try 13:10  |  zeev 01/03/09
      129.   The US & EU should freeze aid and privilages to Israel... 15:20  |  Dutch 01/03/09
      130.   wow just stop already 19:23  |  Paul Bass 01/03/09
      131.   to Van Daem #120 & Hector #1 - 4th try 11:59  |  zeev 02/03/09
      132.   #126 Johnboy 18:00  |  Moshe 02/03/09
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