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Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim. (Alon Ron)
Last update - 10:17 09/12/2007
Housing Min. rejects Rice warning against E. J'lem construction
By Yoav Stern and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, News Agencies and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel, Annapolis 

Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim rejected on Saturday the warnings of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who said Israel's plan to build 300 housing units in the East Jerualem neighborhood of Har Homa could jeopardize U.S.-backed peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

"Secretary of State Rice should be blessed for her efforts in the relaunching of the peace process," Boim said, "but it cannot be that on every occasion this [peace process] will be tied together with the cessation of construction in Jerusalem."

"The Har Homa neighborhood is situated within Jerusalem's municipal borders where Israeli law applies," Boim added. "Therefore, there is nothing preventing the construction there, just as there is nothing preventing construction anywhere else in Israel."
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Jordan's Minister for Information, Nasser Judeh, on Thursday slammed the plan to build the new housing units at Har Homa, known as Jabal Abu Ghunaim by the Palestinians, saying he considered the move "detrimental" to peace and "contrary to international law."

Meanwhile Saturday, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat appealed to the United States to compel Israel to halt the expansion of settlements in the West Bank as dictated by the road map peace plan.

"We loudly ask the U.S. administration to act as the judge and compel Israel to implement its commitments which the Road Map plan specified," Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio.

The first phase of the road map calls on Israel to freeze settlement activities and the natural growth of the settlements.

Erekat pointed out that the tender for the Har Homa construction came about one week after the end of a U.S.-hosted conference in Annapolis, Maryland, which set December 12 as the date for Israel and the PA to start negotiating a lasting solution.

"If Israel went on, this will destroy all the efforts that aim at launching a meaningful peace process leading to ending the Israeli occupation which started in the 1967," Erekat added.

On Friday, Rice warned Israel that the construction plan threatened U.S.-backed efforts to achieve peace with the Palestinians, saying "we are in a time when the goal is to build maximum confidence with the parties and this doesn't help to build confidence."

"There should not be anything which might prejudge final-status negotiations," Rice said after talks with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on the sidelines of a NATO meeting of foreign ministers.

"It's even more important now that we are on the eve of the beginning of the negotiations. I made that position clear," she told a news conference.

Haaretz reported on Friday that the U.S. has requested that Israel provide clarifications on the building plan.

Palestinian leaders have said the plan undermines the peace process, aimed at reviving talks that had been dormant for seven years.

But Israel has said it does not consider the site, known as Abu Ghneim by Palestinians, as part of the West Bank territory the Palestinians want for a state.

The Palestinians demand East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, for their future capital. Israel annexed the area after the war.

Mubarak calls on U.S. to pressure Israel for sake of peace
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told Egyptian media Thursday that the United States must put pressure on Israel in order to advance the peace process.

Mubarak, who is visiting Athens, also said that Egypt hopes that positive results will come out of last month's Annapolis conference, noting U.S. President George W. Bush's expected visit to Israel in January.

The Egyptian president said Israel must act "with courage" and make decisions, calling Israel to show a willingness to make concessions during negotiations.

He called on the Palestinians to "unify their stance" and end differences of opinion between them.

Also, Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit criticized Israel for the government's plan to expand Har Homa. In an article published in Egypt's "Al-Ahram" newspaper, it was reported that Aboul Gheit was "astounded" by reports of Israel's intention to publish a building tender for new construction in the neighborhood.


Related articles:
  • Thousands come to J'lem to protest plans to divide capital
  • U.S. wants details on plan to build homes in East Jerusalem
  • Palestinians slam Israeli move to build new homes in E. Jerusalem
  • Egypt's FM to Haaretz: If Israel moves ahead, so will Arab states
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    <
      1.   What advancing the peace process means to Arabs 12:56  |  Sam 07/12/07
      2.   Beggar country of dirt,Egypt ,pampered by the West 13:49  |  Absolute Sweden 07/12/07
      3.   The real path to peace 13:53  |  Frank 07/12/07
      4.   more bla bla 13:55  |  real vision 07/12/07
      5.   Mubarak Crap 13:59  |  Brod 07/12/07
      6.   The world must press Egypt 14:00  |  David Teich 07/12/07
      7.   I am surprised that Egypt is surprised at israel`s building of 14:18  |  lakshmi 07/12/07
      8.   What the arabs fulfilling their obligations? 14:34  |  Avraham 07/12/07
      9.   Mubarak is full of hot air 14:45  |  The Arab Hammer 07/12/07
      10.   How do you "bla bla bla" in Arabic? 15:10  |  Michael 07/12/07
      11.   MOVE HAMAS To Egypt&Saudi Arabia Then BLOCKADE/BOYCOTT/SANCTION! 15:58  |  Proud Pal Defender 07/12/07
      12.   Mubarak could do alot for peace but he doesnt just condems Israel 16:16  |  zionist forever 07/12/07
      13.   So, what to do? 16:35  |  Sam 07/12/07
      14.   Mubarak wants the US to press Israel; he should be pressing Abbas 16:39  |  Conroy 07/12/07
      15.   is it spelt mu be crap ???? 16:43  |  victor hardman 07/12/07
      16.   GO MAKE PEACE WITH THESE PEOPLE 17:27  |  Ron a gentile 07/12/07
      17.   Tells Israel to make concessions, Palestinians to "unify" 17:41  |  McQueen 07/12/07
      18.   If there is mistrust blame Egypt 17:51  |  Robert 07/12/07
      19.   More concessions needed????? 18:04  |  JCT 07/12/07
      20.   Is complying really that hard? 18:17  |  Outsider 07/12/07
      21.   Rice Crap 18:17  |  Brod 07/12/07
      22.   Mubarak`s trick 18:20  |  Uzi 07/12/07
      23.   Rice warns against East Jerusalem consruction 18:22  |  Sam 07/12/07
      24.   Ignore Iran if they ignore you Rice 18:24  |  American 07/12/07
      25.   Condi Rice or "spitting in the face" of your best friend.... 18:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/12/07
      26.   Rice is an idiot 18:25  |  Maurice 07/12/07
      27.   WRONG! The U.S. Must Press Israel, EGYPT, Saudi Arabia & Others!! 18:28  |  Proud Pal Defender 07/12/07
      28.   there will never be peace until... 18:39  |  michael 07/12/07
      29.   Simple Question. What is the point of Building Knowing you will 18:39  |  Simon Mohammed 07/12/07
      30.   For Outsider # 20 18:49  |  Clickfool 07/12/07
      31.   Absloute nothing - think before you speak...No 2 18:49  |  Palestinian Brit 07/12/07
      32.   A world of nuts in a sea of hate. 18:52  |  Akram Zekaria 07/12/07
      33.   RICE has no regard for Israel`s security-period 18:52  |  RAY 07/12/07
      34.   rice warns 18:53  |  mikeT 07/12/07
      35.   Michael #28 18:55  |  Brod 07/12/07
      36.   Jerusalem MUST BE Divided For PEACE! Extremists MUST NOT Win!! 18:55  |  Proud Pal Defender 07/12/07
      37.   After Mubarak now Comes Rice & .. 18:57  |  Akram Zekaria 07/12/07
      38.   look out for yourselves 18:59  |  Mark 07/12/07
      39.   Peace roap map for dummies 19:04  |  Scoobidoo 07/12/07
      40.   #21 Brod crap 19:37  |  Boycott 07/12/07
      41.   New building stop peace, but... 19:45  |  Tom 07/12/07
      42.   Har Homah is part of the all-Israel consensus 19:55  |  Nahum 07/12/07
      43.   Rice 19:58  |  HD 07/12/07
      44.   The "PeaceProcess" ended yesterday when... 20:05  |  Scharker Yid 07/12/07
      45.   Post #21 - A Zionist Recidivist Revisionist 20:05  |  DoubleClick 07/12/07
      46.   Re #1 Sam 20:06  |  emad matahin 07/12/07
      47.   (ONCE UPON A TIME A) WAR ON TERROR? 20:11  |  WARRIOR 07/12/07
      48.   "Warning" 20:15  |  Jeremiah 07/12/07
      49.   Why is the US pretending that there is a peace process ? 20:23  |  redmike 07/12/07
      50.   #29 To Simon Mohammed 20:26  |  David 07/12/07
      51.   Rice warn Israel about building homes in Jerusalem 20:31  |  David 07/12/07
      52.   LET ZIONISTS BUILD FOR FUTURE PALESTINIAN GENERATIONS 20:34  |  TrippleJump 07/12/07
      53.   East J`lem construction 20:37  |  Frank 07/12/07
      54.   How many more warnings, Rice? 20:38  |  Ben Alofs 07/12/07
      55.   Rice etc 20:41  |  David 07/12/07
      56.   rice stops har homa construction 20:42  |  marcel 07/12/07
      57.   Nahum 20:47  |  Palestinian Brit 07/12/07
      58.   The Arabs must make very painful concessions for real peace! 20:49  |  Uzi 07/12/07
      59.   Nobody will stop you, eh? No 43 20:50  |  Palestinian Brit 07/12/07
      60.   There can never be separate Arab polity west of the Jordan! 20:50  |  Uzi 07/12/07
      61.   Partition Plan that may work for a change: 20:52  |  Uzi 07/12/07
      62.   If the goal is the goal is to build maximum confidence 20:58  |  Ben 07/12/07
      63.   "!%$! you Rice and Mubarak, YOU dont tell the Jewish people...... 21:01  |  Jordan 07/12/07
      64.   Egypt, SA: friends with Israel 21:10  |  M 07/12/07
      65.   #63 Jordan 21:14  |  Russ 07/12/07
      66.   Unhelpful Rice should concentate on her proper job 21:18  |  rob 07/12/07
      67.   Ligh the your road 21:32  |  Nixo 07/12/07
      68.   Talk, talk, talk. 21:34  |  David 07/12/07
      69.   #63 Jordan 21:36  |  American 07/12/07