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PM: No new settlements, but building in Jerusalem to continue By Barak Ravid Israel will not construct any new settlements but will continue building in existing settlement blocs and Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told visiting North American Jewish leaders yesterday. Speaking in Jerusalem to a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Olmert said that, "Jerusalem holds a special place and in its Jewish areas reality on the ground will change in the coming years. Advertisement "Not one of my critics built more than me in Jerusalem or contributed more to its development," Olmert, a former mayor of the capital, added. "It has been discussed and agreed, between me and Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] that Jerusalem is an important and sensitive issue. We will not begin negotiating on this sensitive issue, which may result in a failure in the talks. We will delay the handling of Jerusalem to a later stage," Olmert said. On the matter of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, Olmert said that he does "not share in the optimism." Refering to the two IDF reservists, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, kidnapped by Hezbollah in 2006, Olmert said that, "So long as there is no evidence in our hands [of their death], we will continue to conduct ourselves under the assumption that they are alive." Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ehud Barak yesterday agreed to a request by visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner to ease some of the economic sanctions imposed on the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the continued Qassam rocket attacks on Israeli communities bordering the Strip. Barak authorized a transfer of cement for the completion of a project being promoted by Quartet envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair. The French foreign minister's request followed a delay in the completion of a project for the restoration of the sewage system in the northern Gaza Strip, which posed a serious hygienic hazard to the population there. This is considered to be a "flagship project" for the international community and a great deal of importance is attributed to it. Cement transfers have normally crossed through the Sufa checkpoint, but due to intelligence warnings of planned attacks against that location, the shipment will be sent through a different crossing. In his meetings with Olmert and Barak yesterday, Kouchner expressed his grave concern at the policy of checkpoints in the West Bank. "There are 640 checkpoints in the West Bank and this intensifies the desperation and frustration of the Palestinians," Kouchner said. The French foreign minister urged Olmert and Barak to ease the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank, saying that the restrictions "kill hope for peace and for improved economic conditions for the population." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Artistic justice Israel Museum to exhibit art looted by Nazis and unclaimed. Let in snow For second time this winter, Jerusalem braces for snow.

Today Online Bradley Burston: Anti-Zionism as a form of racism Responses: 266 Foreign Min. expected to slam Iran anti-Israel jibe in missive to UN Responses: 235 Top diplomat: Calling Sderot-Gaza violence 'cycle' may breed terror Responses: 114 Anshel Pfeffer: Are Israeli policies risking the lives of Diaspora Jews? Responses: 60 Abbas rejects PM call to defer talks on Jerusalem Responses: 87 Report: Progress made in Shalit prisoner swap deal Responses: 35 More Headlines 23:45 FM: Ending peace talks now would bolster Hamas 02:15 Lebanon braces itself for possible Hezbollah attack on Israel 23:45 Foreign Ministry said to slam Iranian anti-Israel jibe in missive to UN 22:05 Nine Qassams hit Negev, one strikes yard of home in Sderot 20:24 Top diplomat: Calling violence in south a 'cycle' may breed terror 01:57 France sends 29 to trial over kidnap and murder of Jewish man 01:47 Israelis 30 times more likely to be wiretapped than Americans 01:19 Vatican: Pius XII sainthood process not stalled 00:58 Coldest January in 15 years falls short of being Israel's harshest winter 22:04 Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi to retain position despite AG opposition 21:55 Mauritania releases 8 detained after Israeli embassy attack 22:40 Prisons Service refuses early release of man charged with giving Hezbollah information 00:10 Defense Min. in Singapore set to publicly attend weapons expo Previous Editions Select Day 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb

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