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Israel plans to build a new neighborhood near Atarot in East Jerusalem. (Jini Archives)
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Last update - 16:39 20/12/2007
Housing Minister backtracks, says no new E. J'lem housing plan
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press
Tags: Palestinian Authority, Israel 

In an about-face from a day earlier, Israel's housing minister on Thursday said he never intended to pursue a massive construction plan for East Jerusalem, a plan that sparked Palestinian outrage and a chilly reception from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Palestinians want Jerusalem's eastern sector, which Israel captured from Jordan in 1967 and later annexed, for the capital of a future state. They view any plans for new Israeli construction there as undermining newly revived peace talks.

On Wednesday, Housing Minister Zeev Boim said his ministry was looking into building a new Jewish neighborhood with 10,000 apartments in east Jerusalem to ease a housing crunch in the city.
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"The Housing Ministry must provide a solution to the housing shortage in Jerusalem," Boim said.

But on Thursday, Boim said he rejected the idea of building the neighborhood when it was brought before him - something he didn't say Wednesday when talking to media.

"The subject of a possible exploration [of the plan] was brought before me, but I suggested that we drop it," he told Israel Radio.

Boim's office issued a statement saying there are no plans for the building of a neighborhood at Atarot, on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem.

According to spokesman Eran Sidis, the plan to build the neighborhood in Atarot was one of several options presented to Boim after he asked the government's land authority to identify potential construction sites.

"This obviously was ruled out, because of the sensitive nature of the peace talks," Sidis told reporters. "We wouldn't even dream of doing it...We ruled it out categorically."

On Wednesday, Boim, a member of Olmert's Kadima Party, acknowledged the timing was sensitive, but said that was no reason to freeze his office's activities.

"The sensitivity is understood, but we must say that unfortunately since Jerusalem was declared Israel's capital there has been no time without similar sensitivities," Boim said.

"My opinion is that our sovereignty over Jerusalem can't be divided," he said in a separate interview Wednesday with Army Radio.

Aides: Olmert, Livni were not told about E. J'lem housing plan

Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni were not informed of a decision to authorize the planning to build a new neighborhood at Atarot.

This is similar to the case, two weeks ago, in which a tender to expand a neighborhood at Har Homa was announced, about which neither the Prime Minister's Office nor the Foreign Ministry were informed in advance.

Olmert's aides were quick to point out that "this is only the initial stage and there is a long time before construction begins."

"We do not believe that this [project] will actually be carried out," they added.

A senior minister told Haaretz that while setting up a new neighborhood at Atarot is "a terrible idea at this time, I cannot see anyone going to live there."

At the Foreign Ministry, where Livni heads the negotiations with the Palestinians, officials expected to be inundated with questions about the new neighborhood. However they said requests for information were few.

Foreign Ministry sources said they are encouraged that the Palestinians have so far not issued a public condemnation of the construction plans, but added that in the coming days Israel may have to face difficult questions about the project.

Related articles:
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  • Abbas to blast Israel for building in settlements, E. Jerusalem
  • Palestinian negotiators to urge settlement freeze during talks
  • Housing Min. rejects Rice warning against E. J'lem construction
  • Government officials: Har Homa row sparked by 'two bureaucrats'
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      1.   well alright then!! i suppose now olmert and his little pet livni 05:47  |  mohammed 20/12/07
      2.   I Hope this APARTHEID HOUSING is never built. 05:52  |  POP 20/12/07
      3.   Really? So who`s in charge in Israel then? 05:54  |  peacelover 20/12/07
      4.   the truth of the matter is livni is the daughter 06:43  |  mohammed 20/12/07
      5.   I`m sick and tired of...... 07:41  |  R 20/12/07
      6.   #3 - peace with Islam is not possible 08:02  |  redmike 20/12/07
      7.   Also dont know of checkpoints,assassinations,settler harassement! 09:47  |  Chanalau, Tova 20/12/07
      8.   in the country of the blind the one eyed man is king 10:14  |  victor hardman 20/12/07
      9.   DUH?????? THE IN THE DARK DUO 10:55  |  SPTZ 20/12/07
      10.   I agree with R 11:00  |  Steve Cohen 20/12/07
      11.   O but they knew, we know, we all do. 11:13  |  Selma Reinhart 20/12/07
      12.   No condemnation?!! The whole world has risen to condemn this! 11:37  |  Ivar 20/12/07
      13.   Clueless in Israel 11:43  |  Tom Hanks 20/12/07
      14.   WHAT A BUNCH OF LIARS AND DECEPTORS! 12:33  |  TrippleJump 20/12/07
      15.   THE PM AND THE FM DIDN`T KNOW? ....ZIONISTS ARE GOOD A DECEPTION! 12:34  |  TrippleJump 20/12/07
      16.   every day in every way i get more confused at the pmo! 13:27  |  victor hardman 20/12/07
      17.   Left hand, right hand....which? 14:01  |  Palestinian Brit 20/12/07
      18.   N0 7. Not only Israeli leaders.... 14:04  |  Palestinian Brit 20/12/07
      19.   Boim: another Israeli liar 14:43  |  David James Vickery 20/12/07
      20.   Even a spoiled child must be chastised on occassion 14:46  |  Natallie Durson 20/12/07
      21.   #14 Tripplejump 15:06  |  Levi 20/12/07
      22.   Don`t Worry Mala Adumim is still building! 15:08  |  Levi 20/12/07
      23.   "We wouldn`t even dream of doing it We ruled it out categoricaly" 15:21  |  Jew 20/12/07
      24.   #19vickery dicckery dock speaks for the world ! 15:27  |  victor hardman 20/12/07
      25.   British Mandate take 2 15:34  |  Frank 20/12/07
      26.   David James Vickery (Post No. 19) 15:36  |  Johnny Weintraub 20/12/07
      27.   East Jerusalem should be palestinian capital 15:45  |  roberta 20/12/07
      28.   Levi No 22. Who is hurting? 15:52  |  Palestinian Brit 20/12/07
      29.   10 000 new units in Jerusalem. 15:53  |  sandra chitayat 20/12/07
      30.   For Levi # 22 15:58  |  Clickfool 20/12/07
      31.   housing backtrack 16:17  |  geroge 20/12/07
      32.   Victor Hardman (Post No. 24) 16:20  |  Johnny Weintraub 20/12/07
      33.   Upside down Sandra.... 16:22  |  Palestinian Brit 20/12/07
      34.   this website is bombarded by jew haters. No one can see.. 17:00  |  Aon chiloni 20/12/07
      35.   #21, Levi 17:00  |  Space 20/12/07
      36.   2-way failure 17:21  |  Murray 20/12/07
      37.   Israel has every right to build houses for its citizens, 18:02  |  Marwan مروان خوري 20/12/07
      38.   #32 johnny only one grandfather came from russia 18:43  |  victor hardman 20/12/07
      39.   Translation: Homes will be built in secret without permits 19:07  |  Pablo B 20/12/07
      40.   #37 marwyn`s broken record 19:25  |  get it right 20/12/07
      41.   Backtracking indeed... 19:30  |  Esther 20/12/07
      42.   Levi#21...YOU WILL END UP STATELESS... TRUST ME 20:04  |  TrippleJump 20/12/07
      43.   Arabs protected Jews from persecution: they are paying back Pals 20:23  |  Christian Crusader 20/12/07
      44.   #42 Triplejump your are Stateless 20:42  |  Levi 20/12/07
      45.   backpedaling - that`s a underspatement 20:47  |  Kris 20/12/07
      46.   #34 When we DO go..... 00:17  |  T A Sheppard 21/12/07
      47.   Chamberlains at the helm 00:29  |  Brod 21/12/07
      48.   to Palestinian Brit regarding the pal situation in the west bank 00:33  |  JJ 21/12/07
      49.   Invention lends some liveliness in the routine pattern... 01:20  |  zmogus 21/12/07
      50.   # 22 Levi spot on brother give `em hell 15:16  |  Petra 24/12/07
      51.   # 2 Poops, good thing your wishes are nada Jack absolutely NADA 15:18  |  Petra 24/12/07
      52.   # 7 and you see all this from London? lol what a hoot. 15:20  |  Petra 24/12/07
      53.   And when a FINAL decison is made??? 15:22  |  Petra 24/12/07
      54.   Yo Pablo and the ALAMO? 15:24  |  Petra 24/12/07
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