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Employment, Trade and Industry Minister Eli Yishai. (Uriah Tadmor / Jini) Last update - 08:49 01/02/2008 Construction halted at site near J'lem despite pledge to Shas By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Jerusalem, Olmert  Israel says it is suspending the construction of a neighborhood in the Givat Ze'ev settlement north of Jerusalem, contrary to the prime minister's promise to Shas leader Eli Yishai that there would be no construction freeze in the greater Jerusalem area. The state advised the Jerusalem District Court a few days ago that it would not approve the continued building of the Givat Ze'ev neighborhood. It cited instructions from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to halt construction in West Bank settlements. T Advertisement wo weeks ago, Olmert refused to authorize the completion of a new neighborhood in Ma'aleh Adumim. The Housing Ministry and Israel Lands Administration (ILA) started marketing lots for the 600 housing units in Givat Ze'ev's Agan Ayalot neighborhood in 1999, but stopped near the end of 2000 after the eruption of the second intifada. The contractors who had won tenders and paid tens of millions of shekels in development costs and payment guarantees sued the state for breach of contract, demanding to void the deal. But the state has refused to do so in court debates in recent years. A few weeks ago a state representative told the Jerusalem District Court that "the state believes in the project," has invested NIS 100 million in it and has completed the infrastructure. The state therefore refuses to revoke the contracts, the representative said. A number of contractors recently sold dozens of apartments in the Agan Ayalot project to ultra-Orthodox families. But the Housing Ministry and ILA refused to extend the land development contracts with the contractors. Without extending the expired contracts the contractors cannot obtain building permits or bank loans to finance the building and provide buyers with guarantees. Attorney Shlomo Gan Zvi of the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel has recently asked Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to decide which of the state's two positions reflects its stance - suspending the project or completing it. Gan Zvi said the state's refusal to extend the contracts will lead to the project's collapse because the contractors will not be able to continue marketing the apartments. "This project was initiated by the state, which invested a fortune in it. All its infrastructure has been completed and the state has refused for years to void the alliance with the contractors. It is absurd to let it collapse just when there's a chance to complete it, merely because of a momentary political whim," Gan Zvi said. Related articles: PM: No West Bank construction without my prior approval Shmuel Rosner: The green line is turning red PA to U.S.: We'll accept nothing less than total settlement freeze Bookmark to del.icio.us   From Pyongyang N. Korea expresses hope for stronger ties with Syria. Peres in Paris Pres. tells Le Figaro Israel won't act alone to halt Iran.   1.   Jerusalem is exclusively Jewish. 08:20  |  Harold Lane 01/02/08   2.   #1: is that`s why it`s such an awful boring suffocating dump 10:00  |  Chalanau, Tova 01/02/08   3.   pledge 10:19  |  colin 01/02/08   4.   Shas, keep your pledge! 11:04  |  Avraham 01/02/08   5.   #1 11:44  |  John Landis 01/02/08   6.   Elect An Authentic Jewish Gov`t , OUST Kapoo Olmert & Gangs 11:53  |  Joseph . E 01/02/08   7.   100% of East Jerusalem must return to 13:36  |  Jerusalemite 01/02/08   8.   Olmert Represents the Radical Extreme Left, 13:54  |  Joseph . E 01/02/08   9.   20 Years of Research Reveals: Jerusalem Belongs to Jews 14:22  |  Joseph E . post 1 01/02/08   10.   20 Years of Research Reveals: Jerusalem Belongs to Jews 14:22  |  Joseph E . post 1 01/02/08   11.   # 7 Jerusalemite " We rather do without your peace than to divide 14:43  |  Joseph . E 01/02/08   12.   #10, it belongs to all religions 14:50  |  A Bethlehemite 01/02/08   13.   # 2 move the dome of the rock 15:03  |  Petra 01/02/08   14.   #7What is a Palisrinian & what is their history? 15:56  |  Avraham 01/02/08   15.   NO SYNAGOGUES IN MECCA NO MOSQUES IN JERUSALEM 16:33  |  Petra 01/02/08   16.   Let Them Build - So Long As They Also Allow Muslims and Christian 17:21  |  B`Galil 01/02/08   17.   #1, #2, #6, etc.... You don`t even realize your bigotry 17:26  |  B`Galil 01/02/08   18.   Olmert doublecrosses Shas. Here it comes: Vote of No Confidence. 17:51  |  Dr. L. Brnd 01/02/08   19.   To No. 2 18:01  |  Jackie 01/02/08   20.   The pilpul of what`s kosher... 18:10  |  Esther 01/02/08   21.   Chana Lau Raa 18:14  |  Momo 01/02/08   22.   Ehud Olmert`s Juden-rein Decree! 19:15  |  Norman F Birnberg 01/02/08   23.   Bethlehemite...Brooklyn has churches too 21:07  |  ElyMelekh 01/02/08   24.   Nice to see that a state can stop wasting money 22:02  |  John 01/02/08   25.   Jerusalemite 23:57  |  kay 01/02/08   26.   Halting construction in Jerusalem? 04:38  |  Brod 02/02/08   27.   Shas show your metal; leave now 16:04  |  Robert Gould 09/03/08

Today Online Palestinians: Hamas, Hezbollah cooperated on Jerusalem attack Responses: 96 Intel chiefs to present cabinet with grim scenarios for 2008 Responses: 31 Jewish Agency to start anti-terror drive in wake of J'lem attack Responses: 25 Gideon Levy: Mercaz Harav produced the rabbis who led the vilest form of Zionism Responses: 30 Editorial: Peace now, or eternal conflict later Responses: 13 Rosner's Domain Whose Jerusalem Is It, anyway? Poll: Should Abbas and Olmert continue their talks? An Israeli and a crocodile (WTR) The Israel Factor: What's wrong with Obama? Rosner's Mailbox: Stop focusing on Israel's favorability polls More Headlines 15:01 PM okays 750 homes for J'lem-area settlement 14:16 IDF soldier dies of wounds sustained in Gaza border ambush 12:06 Report: Hamas leader says hundreds of militants trained in Iran, Syria 13:56 Likud MK to propose ban on public mourning for terrorists 15:33 Study: Boston's intermarried couples 'as observant' as Reform Jews 12:29 Palestinians: Hamas, Hezbollah cooperated on Jerusalem terror attack 16:02 Top Defense Min. official visits Cairo for talks on Gaza calm 14:28 Kuwaiti analyst: Best if Israel, not U.S., destroys Iranian nukes 07:22 Jewish Agency to start anti-terror drive after J'lem attack 13:01 For stricken yeshiva, trauma of terror attack likely to linger Previous Editions Select Day 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb

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