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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (Reuters) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 17:08 31/12/2007 PM: No West Bank construction without my prior approval By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Har Homa, Ehud Barak  Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sent an official letter on Sunday to the ministers of defense, housing and agriculture with an order to refrain from authorizing any construction in the West Bank without his and Defense Minister Ehud Barak's prior approval. Olmert emphasized in the letter that the order was a follow-up to the announcement he made in the cabinet meeting of November 19, before the Annapolis peace conference, that Israel would not build additional settlements and would evacuate illegal outposts as it is obligated under the U.S.-backed road map of 2003. Olmert wrote that "construction, new building, expansion, preparation of plans, publication of residency tenders and confiscation of land stemming from other settlement activities in the (West Bank) area will not go forward and will not be implemented without requesting and receiving in advance approval by the defense minister and the prime minister." Advertisement "These instructions do not subtract from activities carried out legally whose goals are the preservation of security or public order. The validity of the law extends until further notice or a different government decision on the matter," the letter states. Olmert did not address construction in East Jerusalem in the letter. However, the prime minister told Kadima ministers on Sunday of his intention to send it out and said that "the sweeping order regarding all of Judea and Samaria [the biblical name for the West Bank] won't touch upon Jerusalem, but even on Jerusalem, we must act wisely and cautiously." Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat reiterated on Monday the Palestinians are ready to make peace if Israel freezes all settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has strained the negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. News of recently-approevd construction in the Har Homa neighborhood of East Jerusalem broke just days before negotiations opened for the first time in seven years. "Settlements and peace do not go together," Erekat said. However, government spokesman Mark Regev said that "these orders do not apply to construction that already has been approved. They do not apply to East Jerusalem either, because from the Israeli perspective, the West Bank is not Jerusalem, and Jerusalem is not the West Bank." The Palestinians and a number of Arab states said the construction at Har Homa constituted a violation of Israel's commitment to freeze construction in the settlements. But Israel, which annexed East Jerusalem and regards the territory as its own, does not formally recognize the eastern part of the city as non-Israeli. Also Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia in Jerusalem, the Israeli foreign ministry said. It gave no details of the talks. Friction over Har Homa was only the first problem to beset the newly resumed peace talks. Related articles: PM plans to halt E. J'lem tenders, okay Har Homa PM announces intention to change building permits Second round of talks between Israel, PA ends in disagreement Bookmark to del.icio.us Construction freeze PM says no W. Bank construction without his prior approval. Lived to tell the tale Surviving hiker recounts Friday's attack in Hebron Hills.   1.   Olmert finally gets a job 10:29  |  Natallie Durson 31/12/07   2.   Curtailing several cabinet ministers authority by Prime Minister, 10:55  |  H.H.M 31/12/07   3.   it won`t change much 11:32  |  rm 31/12/07   4.   Without my prior approval 11:36  |  sh 31/12/07   5.   West Bank Settlements 11:37  |  Eva 31/12/07   6.   How about... 11:46  |  Michael Steiner 31/12/07   7.   We Live in A Democracy and Certainly Reject Olmert Dictatorship 11:47  |  Joseph E . 31/12/07   8.   "These Instructions Do Not Subtract From..." 12:09  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/12/07   9.   Be a man! 12:15  |  Outsider 31/12/07   10.   PM and His Defence Minister 12:22  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/12/07   11.   A DESPERATE DAMAGE CONTROL FROM A FAILED PM 12:54  |  indrajaya 31/12/07   12.   as usual the left is wrong and the right is right 13:00  |  bob 31/12/07   13.   Spinmesiter Regev Already Clarifying 13:32  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/12/07   14.   Obviously, the rot starts at the top 14:01  |  Tim 31/12/07   15.   Here`s an idea; abide by UNSCR 452 14:16  |  A Bethlehemite 31/12/07   16.   One thing clear? 14:56  |  Manny 31/12/07   17.   #12 15:29  |  DANNY 31/12/07   18.   New Election Needed 15:30  |  Brod 31/12/07   19.   Trying to control Israel`s SQUATTERS 15:37  |  POP 31/12/07   20.   yaakov - a question? 15:50  |  uday 31/12/07   21.   TO OLMERT: NO ONE NEEDS YOUR PERMISSION.YOU ARE A NOBODY! 16:02  |  WARRIOR 31/12/07   22.   "PALESTINE" IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY 16:09  |  Like it is 31/12/07   23.   WITH OR WITHOUT OLMERTS APPROVAL CONSTRUCTION WILL GO ON 16:14  |  20x20 31/12/07   24.   22. Zion on Earth is a Crimew Against Humanity 16:38  |  disemble it 31/12/07   25.   CHRISTS ON EARTH IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY 16:48  |  Like it is 31/12/07   26.   More lies from the liemeister 18:13  |  Labhras 31/12/07   27.   #20 uday aiming high re Yaakov Sullivan 18:23  |  Labhras 31/12/07   28.   Must be monitored..... 18:32  |  Esther 31/12/07   29.   labras 19:13  |  uday 31/12/07   30.   antijudaism isnot antisemitism 20:03  |  bozhidar balkas 31/12/07   31.   #29 uday re waters 20:17  |  Labhras 31/12/07   32.   Labras - 3 strikes and I guess you are out. 21:01  |  Uday 31/12/07   33.   Hey Olmert: B_M 22:36  |  Garrett Smythe Brown 31/12/07   34.   Remembering Voltaire 00:30  |  Steve 01/01/08   35.   Does it have a clue? 02:33  |  Mark Lincoln 01/01/08

Today Online Burston: Here's to '67 borders, the new middle of the road Responses: 22 Rosner: Thursday's choice - Hillary vs. Obana & Edwards Responses: 1 Editorial: Words alone won't stop settlement expansion Send response Shin Bet: Dramatic drop in 2007 terror fatalities Responses: 8 Barak to IDF: Put illegal outpost residents on trial Responses: 28 Hamas signals it would agree to lull in fighting with Israel Responses: 43 Rosner's Domain Race for the White House: Between anger and moderation Rosner's Guest: Evangelicals love Jews as well as Jewish Israel What Will the Palestinian Authority Do With All That Money? Small politics can determine grand policies More Headlines 06:59 Barak to IDF: Put illegal outpost residents on trial 10:04 Hamas signals it would agree to lull in fighting with Israel 10:05 Police suspect Industry, Trade Ministry official received bribe 08:59 Four Palestinian workers die in road accident on way to Israel 06:23 Jewish Agency, interfaith group deal angers U.S. Jewish leaders 04:53 Shin Bet data shows dramatic drop in 2007 terror fatalities 06:14 ILA publishes two tenders to build in Jerusalem over Green Line 00:54 Treasury, faculty make progress under auspices of labor court 10:06 New law set to make long-time temps permanent staff Previous Editions Select Day 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 dec 20 dec 19 dec 18 dec

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