Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., January 22, 2008 Shvat 15, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:57 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa. (Archive) Last update - 23:47 21/01/2008 Official: East J'lem construction tenders now need Olmert's okay By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Ze'ev Boim, Har Homa  The Housing Ministry has stopped publishing tenders for state construction in Jerusalem neighborhoods beyond the Green Line without Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's approval, a Housing Ministry official told a Knesset panel on Monday. The panel - a sub-committee of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, headed by MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) - met at the request of MKs Reuven Rivlin (Likud) and Zeev Elkin (Kadima) to discuss "the construction suspension" in West Bank settlements. "All construction beyond the Green Line, even in Jerusalem, requires the housing minister and prime minister's approval," said Sara Zimmerman of the Housing Ministry. Advertisement She said she no longer was issuing tenders to build in the Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem without such approval. The MKs concluded that this includes neighborhoods such as Ramot, Gilo, Armon Hanatziv, Neve Yaakov, Pisgat Zeev and the area near Route 1, even though they are under Israeli law and within Jerusalem's jurisdiction. "The damned truth has been revealed. Olmert's new position wipes out [former prime minister Ariel] Sharon's achievements," Rivlin said. He said Sharon had received a letter from U.S. President George W. Bush recognizing the settlement blocs. Schneller said that the "scandal caused by issuing the Har Homa building tenders two days before Bush's visit" brought about the present situation. Even worse, he said, the panel found that even construction for "humanitarian needs" like kindergartens and schools in West Bank settlements had been suspended. Ma'aleh Adumim mayor Benny Kashriel and other West Bank settlement heads reported an acute housing and school shortage, and said that the Defense Minister would not allow construction. The prime minister's media adviser denied that the construction in Jerusalem had been suspended. He said the prime minister had voiced his position on this issue in the news conference with Bush and that it had been passed on to the ministers. Haaretz correspondent Barak Ravid reported a few weeks ago that the prime minister instructed Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim to report any building in the capital beyond the Green Line, due to the issue's sensitivity. Related articles: Dividing Jerusalem / Right-wing opposition to split is waning ILA publishes two tenders to build in Jerusalem over Green Line Israel expands plans to construct new homes in E. J'lem, W. Bank Bookmark to del.icio.us   Message from space A newly-launched Israeli spy satellite sends Iran a very clear message. Gravediggers' plight Even getting buried in the Gaza Strip has gotten more complicated these days.   1.   the leftist disease 22:38  |  Moshe 21/01/08   2.   the emperor`s new clothes! 22:43  |  Mark 21/01/08   3.   A slim hope for real peace 23:25  |  Bandar Michaels 21/01/08   4.   ignorants diseasen #1 23:37  |  A.M. 21/01/08   5.   Olmert, Bush and housing comments 23:52  |  geroge 21/01/08   6.   At long last some order... 00:21  |  Esther 22/01/08   7.   Jerusalem construction 01:10  |  Michael Garkawe 22/01/08   8.   Olmert to Bush-May I take 1 giant step forward or 2 baby steps? 01:10  |  disgusted with PM 22/01/08   9.   Forget it zionists! Nothing less than the Partition Line! 01:13  |  lakshmi 22/01/08   10.   Olmert Destroying 3500 Years of History 01:35  |  J 22/01/08   11.   To Moshe # 1 01:50  |  dovale 22/01/08   12.   U want to build in E J`lem where non Jews are not equal citizens? 01:54  |  A Bethlehemite 22/01/08   13.   to Lakshmi #5 01:56  |  dovale 22/01/08   14.   Moshe, you need to move 02:00  |  Jason_M 22/01/08   15.   Does the IDF support settler violence? 03:43  |  Maureen Ann 22/01/08   16.   #15 Maureen Ann asks some questions 07:52  |  Johnboy 22/01/08   17.   To #12 2 points 10:43  |  Christopher 22/01/08

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