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Last update - 16:48 15/02/2008 Former Gaza Strip settlers move into new outpost in West Bank By The Associated Press Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel  Nine Israeli families have moved to a valley deep in the West Bank, setting down six trailer homes and promising Friday to bring more to the disputed area the Palestinians want for a future state. The action - funded in part by a private U.S. group - is the latest Israeli settlement activity to anger Palestinians as peace negotiators try to reach a final agreement outlining borders. U.S. President George W. Bush hopes to get the sides to complete a deal by the end of the year. About two dozen Israelis from the former Gaza Strip settlement of Shirat Hayam have moved into Maskiot despite a government decision last year to freeze plans to build a new settlement there. Advertisement The international community criticized Israel in 2006 when it announced plans to establish Maskiot, saying the project violated Israel's commitments under an internationally-sponsored peace plan not to set up new settlements. Yossi Hazut, the settler leader at Maskiot, said 28 families are waiting to move in when more trailer homes arrive. He said his group decided to move in after being forcibly evacuated from Gaza in 2005. If the settlers can't protect Israel from its southern flank in Gaza, he said, at least now they can guard its eastern side on this desert land known as the Jordan Valley. "We hope that we will be able to bring all the families here," Hazut said, holding his 1-year-old daughter, Shir, while his wife made pizza. Maskiot has a total of 150 acres (60 hectares) of land where olive trees grow and date trees will be planted, said Hazut, who grew up in a tightly-guarded Gaza settlement. A sign in English and Hebrew on one of the homes read: This caravan was built in part through a grant from One Israel Fund. The organization's Web site says it is a New-York based charitable group helping Israeli settlers who were evacuated from Gaza. While Hazut said he understood that the government had frozen construction of permanent homes at Maskiot, he said that a defense ministry official who had visited him earlier in the day Friday did not say the government would block any attempt to expand the community. Israel's Defense Ministry oversees settlement activity. A call requesting comment from a ministry spokesman was not returned Friday. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said Friday that Israel would abide by its commitments in the internationally-backed peace plan known as the road map. There will be no new settlements, Regev said. Israel agreed in the plan not to establish new settlements nor expand existing ones and to dismantle dozens of unauthorized outposts established by settlers to prevent land from being transferred to the Palestinians. Israel has not taken down any of the outposts, and Palestinians fear they will eventually become established communities. Related articles: PM completely freezes new construction in W. Bank settlements Diplomat: Bush firmly objects to any building in W. Bank, E. J'lem Citing security, state refuses to release data on settlements Bookmark to del.icio.us   Seeking refuge 123 Sudanese refugees infiltrate Israel from Egypt overnight. Bracing for terror Israel, U.S. fear retaliatory strikes after killing of Mughniyah.   1.   After the Sharon/Olmert ethnic cleansing of Jews from Gush... 19:07  |  bat yam 15/02/08   2.   Can`t be !!! 20:23  |  Michael 15/02/08   3.   Maybe we should give peace a rest. 20:34  |  Stephen. 15/02/08   4.   New settlement -MASKIOT- N O W ? 20:54  |  H.H.M 15/02/08   5.   Jews Continue To Settle The Land 21:04  |  Norman F Birnberg 15/02/08   6.   No More Ethnic Cleansing!N 21:07  |  Norman F Birnberg 15/02/08   7.   FROM SETTLER.... TO SETTLER 21:16  |  Dany 15/02/08   8.   "There will be no new settlements", Regev said. 22:18  |  Chanalau, Tova 15/02/08   9.   more compensation on it`s way 22:19  |  Gilbert 15/02/08   10.   I would laugh if it weren`t so sad 22:42  |  Yonatan 15/02/08   11.   Money making out posts 23:03  |  U.S Citizen 15/02/08   12.   Making crime a career 00:11  |  Jens 16/02/08   13.   And guess who will have to foot the bill 00:43  |  kiwi girl 16/02/08   14.   Bulldoze the Outpost as Required Under Road Map 00:56  |  Mr. Knowtiall 16/02/08   15.   wonder if ? 01:56  |  melchizedek 16/02/08   16.   NO! (said with sarcasm) 15:36  |  al 16/02/08

Today Online Report: 50,000 Hezbollah men deploy in southern Lebanon Responses: 194 Israel: We know how to deal with threats by Hezbollah Responses: 112 Palestinians: Ailing woman dies after IDF denies her access to ambulance Responses: 192 Editorial: As with Mughniyah, killing terrorists sometimes unavoidable Responses: 168 Zvi Bar'el: Roiled Hezbollah chief throws down the gauntlet Responses: 113 Roi Ben-Yehuda: If U.K. rejects sharia law, beit din will face same fate Responses: 91 Rosner's Domain Clinton's peace team: the attacks on Rob Malley "vicious" (WTR) Brzezinski in Israel (WTR) Most blatant example of Israeli interference in American election The U.S. and Mughniyah / Not just 'who' but also 'where' Poll: Was killing Mughniyah both justified and wise? More Headlines 15:33 Report: PM to declare soldiers abducted by Hezbollah dead 15:51 Report: 50,000 Hezbollah men deploy along border with Israel 10:11 Top Islamic Jihad militant, seven others killed in Gaza blast 14:42 Hamas airs confessions of Fatah members in plot to kill Haniyeh 15:09 Lebanese PM: 'Open war' on Israel would harm Hezbollah 00:59 Sarkozy defends Holocaust education proposal amid uproar 11:41 Eritrean refugee killed trying to enter Israel illegally from Egypt 07:12 Islamic Movement blames Israel for quake-induced hole on Temple Mt. 07:26 U.S. meets Iranian officials to discuss 'terror' funds 19:57 Israeli wounded in Molotov cocktail attack in West Bank 01:54 Hezbollah chief's threats raise alarm among Jewish groups worldwide 20:08 Italian officials: Canada extraditing wanted Nazi war criminal Previous Editions Select Day 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb

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