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Last update - 09:31 08/01/2008 Construction to start in area Palestinians want for corridor By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Temple Mount, West Bank  Construction is to start soon on 60 new housing units in the Jewish section in East Jerusalem's Ras al Amud neighborhood. The Jerusalem municipality has approved the project, which sources on the right have said could impede the creation of a Palestinian corridor between the eastern West Bank and the Temple Mount. Fifty-one families currently live in the area, known as Ma'aleh Zeitim, on the slope of the Mount of Olives, on land purchased some 15 years ago by Jewish tycoon Irving Moskowitz. Moskowitz bought the land from two Jewish charitable trusts, who had owned it for over a century. During the Mandate era, the British refused to annex the land to the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, and the land remained open until Moskowitz built the small Jewish neighborhood there. Advertisement The construction company to build the new units, Kedumim 3000, is headed by contractor Nahman Zoldan, whose son Ido Zoldan was murdered about two months ago in a terror attack near the settlement of Kedumim in the northern West Bank. The issue of creating a Palestinian corridor between the eastern West Bank and the Temple Mount - via the old Jericho road toward the Lions Gate and the Temple Mount - has been raised in the past in talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Right-wing groups have also been negotiating in recent years with the Bukharan Jewish community in Jerusalem to gain rights to land the community owns. The groups have also been eyeing the former West Bank district police headquarters in Ras al Amud on the old Jericho road. This area is to become part of area A1 between Ma'aleh Adumim and Jerusalem. In 1948 the Jordanians expropriated the land for use by the Arab Legion, before Israel took over the area after the Six-Day War in 1967. When the police evacuated the building, it ostensibly reverted to the Bukharan community. According to a report in the daily Maariv Monday, right-wing groups managed to purchase 20 dunams (4 acres) of land between Bethlehem and the Tantur Ecumenical Institute on the Jerusalem city limits south of the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo. They intend to build a small Jewish neighborhood there, Maariv said. Related articles: PM plans to halt E. J'lem tenders, okay Har Homa Israel expands plans to construct new homes in E. J'lem, W. Bank Housing Minister backtracks, says no new E. J'lem housing plan Bookmark to del.icio.us   'Bush go home' Israeli Arab parties join leftist protests against the Bush visit. Peace overture Syria says it isn't seeking a military solution with Israel.   1.   Haaretz obsessed with construction 05:16  |  Sam 08/01/08   2.   TheTemple Mount - so much for religious freedom for all 05:34  |  Jon 08/01/08   3.   why not a corridor between east West Bank and Mecca ? 05:52  |  avigdor 08/01/08   4.   What Israel is doing 06:11  |  rm 08/01/08   5.   A fitting response 06:50  |  Steve 08/01/08   6.   building the strong Israel 07:12  |  colin 08/01/08   7.   Pals procrastinate in accepting Israel, so Israel builds 07:19  |  Sam 08/01/08   8.   There Will Be No "Palestinian" State OR "Corridor" In OUR Land 07:22  |  Yishai Kohen 08/01/08   9.   Palestinians want All of Israel, Boo Hoo for Them 08:32  |  Efox 08/01/08   10.   Too damn bad. 08:57  |  Mark 08/01/08   11.   #8 And Australia is still predominantly "Anglo-Saxon" 09:05  |  Johnboy 08/01/08   12.   Fine, more homes for returning Palestinians 09:52  |  Chalanau, Tova 08/01/08   13.   Johnboy shouting into a shoebox 09:55  |  Jasmine Murphy 08/01/08   14.   Good for Zoldon 10:00  |  ram 08/01/08   15.   Johnboy: Which Word Is Unclear? 10:38  |  Yishai Kohen 08/01/08   16.   Israel does not want peace 10:56  |  Maki 08/01/08   17.   Johnboy #11 11:06  |  Gilad 08/01/08   18.   #10 Mark gets all bolshie 12:53  |  Johnboy 08/01/08   19.   "..area Palestinians want.."? Non-issue, its Jewish-owned. Tough! 19:06  |  Dr. L. Brnd 08/01/08   20.   Maps also in the future, please 20:39  |  David 08/01/08   21.   wrong map? 23:21  |  Tobias 08/01/08   22.   #15 None of it is unclear to me, Yishai 00:01  |  Johnboy 09/01/08   23.   #13 Jasmine talks LAND OWNERSHIP 01:34  |  Johnboy 09/01/08   24.   Settlements Are A FAILED/MISGUIDED/SELF-Destroying Enterprise! 02:08  |  Proud Pal Defender 09/01/08   25.   # 11. Johnboy 02:47  |  Séamus 09/01/08   26.   It`s our land and we will construct to our hearts content 05:14  |  Yossi Saar 09/01/08   27.   We need a Palestinian 05:44  |  Yoav Saar 09/01/08   28.   Israel should return the occupied land 00:37  |  Fed up.... 10/01/08

Today Online Bush in Israel: West Bank outposts 'have got to go' Responses: 189 Palestinians: IDF strike kills two civilians in northern Gaza Strip Responses: 140 Bradley Burston: Mr. Bush, you were born to make peace Responses: 108 Early warning system fails to spot Katyusha strike in North Responses: 86 Jewish group asks AG to halt dig in J'lem Muslim Quarter Responses: 64 Rosner's Domain What does "change" mean for Israel? How many states between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates? (WTR) Rosner's Guest: Israel at present is not a light unto the nations 2008 race: The marathon is far from over Rosner's Mailbox: Anti-Semites within Ron Paul's camp More Headlines 00:23 Bush in Israel: Iran poses threat to world peace 22:14 Israeli Arab parties join leftist protests against Bush visit 23:37 IDF strikes kill two militants in separate Gaza Strip incidents 01:05 57 MKs vow to vote against evacuation-compensation bill 20:50 Coming soon to a Spanish theater: Anne Frank the musical 23:02 Syria says it's not seeking military solution with Israel 15:25 ANALYSIS: Bush can spur peace talks, but can't solve Gaza issue 17:22 Bush quizzes Shas chief Yishai over threat to quit government 21:36 Police recommend indicting Minister Yaakov Edri for breach of trust Previous Editions Select Day 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec

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