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Settlers working in West Bank outpost of Shvut Ami, near Kedumim. (Nir Kafri)
Last update - 16:55 20/02/2008
Construction continuing in West Bank settlements despite PM's pledge
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: israel, construction 

A new neighborhood comprising 27 trailers is currently under construction at the settlement of Eli, north of Ramallah, even though Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed publicly after the Annapolis conference that any such building would cease.

Even though some of the trailers are being set up on land privately owned by Palestinians, the authorities are taking no action.

Similar unauthorized construction has taken place in the settlement of Maskiot in the northern Jordan Valley.
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Last December, after the Annapolis conference, Olmert promised to freeze construction in the settlements. But developments in a number of settlements suggest that the settlers are trying to initiate a new wave of construction.

The most notable case is Eli, where work is underway to link the 27 trailers to infrastructure. The construction, which began about a month ago, is expected to be completed in the coming days.

The trailers were put up on site because the Civil Administration imposes severe restrictions on moving complete trailers in the West Bank.

The trailers were placed on land near the Palestinian village of Luban al-Sharqiyah, on the other side of Route 60, connecting Jerusalem and Nablus. They are near the Kinor neighborhood at the Eli settlement.

According to Hagit Ofran, who heads the monitoring of settlement activity for Peace Now, the trailers were set up on privately owned Palestinian land. Ofran bases her claims on comparisons between the trailers' location and data the Civil Administration gave to Peace Now on land ownership in the West Bank.

Security sources also confirmed to Haaretz that at least some of the trailers were placed on privately owned land. For its part, the Yesha Council, which represents settlers in the territories, maintains that the construction has been undertaken on state-controlled land.

Regardless of who owns the land, it is certain that the construction at Eli is being done without authorization. The settlement lacks an approved blueprint for construction and expansion, and if the land is indeed private Palestinian property, there is no way to issue authorization for building.

There is also no evidence that the construction has been carried out with any authorization from the political leadership.

The Civil Administration has not taken any practical steps to prevent the new construction. The defense establishment is investigating the building at Eli and the nearby outposts, because it seems that large portions of the settlement were put up illegally.

Last week, Channel 1 reported that 10 settler families moved in at Maskiot in the Jordan Valley. Maskiot began as a base for Nahal, a military unit, and several years ago included a pre-conscription military academy for national-religious youth.

In December 2006, then-defense minister Amir Peretz approved the decision to build 30 new homes there, where the evacuees from the settlement of Shirat Hayam in Gush Katif could be housed. Peretz revoked his decision after he came under criticism.

Construction was renewed in Maskiot recently, without government approval, and earlier this month the families were brought in to live in the new houses. The Civil Administration issued orders for razing seven homes that were built illegally.

According to Captain Tzidki Maman, spokesman for the Civil Administration, "the illegal construction at Eli is known and is being examined. Another part of the construction is being considered by the High Court of Justice."

He says that the Maskiot construction "is under constant monitoring and orders to raze the illegal construction have been issued. The implementation of the orders will be carried out on the basis of broader policy and considerations."


Related articles:
  • PM completely freezes new construction in W. Bank settlements
  • From Annapolis to Har Homa
  • Words won't stop the construction
  • Minister: No freeze on Jewish construction in E. J'lem

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      1.   GO AHEAD 1 STATE SOLUTION WILL BE BETTER FOR US 03:46  |  MOE 20/02/08
      2.   Can`t Stop Progress 03:52  |  Steve 20/02/08
      3.   this makes me sick 04:09  |  michael 20/02/08
      4.   Playing us for fools 04:31  |  W 20/02/08
      5.   Yet no sympathy shown to Sderot 04:33  |  Gili 20/02/08
      6.   More Israeli lies 04:46  |  Mike 20/02/08
      7.   This shouldn`t be news to us 04:49  |  Newsreader 20/02/08
      8.   jew . . . jew . . . jew 04:56  |  cleanjew 20/02/08
      9.   27 trailors folks! - shake me I just fell asleep 05:00  |  Avi 20/02/08
      10.   michael if your feeling sick.. it was probably something you ate 05:01  |  Avi 20/02/08
      11.   West Bank Settlements grow - PM Pledge. . . 05:03  |  Mark Lincoln 20/02/08
      12.   Mike you prove that RAGE isn`t something exclusively... 05:06  |  Avi 20/02/08
      13.   And yet Israel`s policymakers wonder how to win the PR-war 05:19  |  Mark B. 20/02/08
      14.   Olmert a liar? What a surprise... 05:44  |  peacelover 20/02/08
      15.   Bravo Settlers! 05:51  |  Sam 20/02/08
      16.   One state two people it cant be stopped 05:53  |  Ben 20/02/08
      17.   to #3 , Gilli 05:55  |  yuval 20/02/08
      18.   The Revanants Are Legal! 05:57  |  Norman F Birnberg 20/02/08
      19.   Liar Arab Terror PLO-PA Abu Mazen Promised a Stop To Terror 06:23  |  Joseph . E 20/02/08
      20.   the Jewish right to settle in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. 06:29  |  Joseph . E 20/02/08
      21.   Of Course Will Will Continue To Build Here In OUR Land 06:35  |  Yishai Kohen 20/02/08
      22.   settler dictats 06:38  |  geoff 20/02/08
      23.   Jews will be Jews 06:44  |  Aaron 20/02/08
      24.   Only one way here 06:57  |  Danite 20/02/08
      25.   Joseph E #20 07:06  |  democrat 20/02/08
      26.   New settlement building a perfect reprisal for continued kassams 07:15  |  Dr. L. Brnd 20/02/08
      27.   Ruining our lives and our future... 07:21  |  Esther 20/02/08
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      29.   Peace Now lost registrar`s approval! 07:26  |  redmike 20/02/08
      30.   #18 How about their OTHER attribute, Norman? 07:28  |  Johnboy 20/02/08
      31.   Why should we stop the settlement of our own Land ? 07:29  |  Jean Van Daem 20/02/08
      32.   what IS there to say anymore? diagnosis and prognosis 07:30  |  eric 20/02/08
      33.   #20 Joseph E goes wrong in the first sentence 07:41  |  Johnboy 20/02/08
      34.   Lies and deceits again 07:49  |  pal 20/02/08
      35.   #21 Yishai Kohen also confuses his "Jews" with his "Israelis" 07:56  |  Johnboy 20/02/08
      36.   Yishai - Start Paying Your Rent 08:06  |  Mark of Lewiston 20/02/08
      37.   Gili #5 - you are so right! 08:16  |  Rachel 20/02/08
      38.   The PA should be dismantled 08:42  |  Joe 20/02/08
      39.   Don`t call us, 08:47  |  Denise 20/02/08
      40.   building the strong Israel 08:54  |  colin 20/02/08
      41.   Johnboy: We Were In OUR Land LONG Before You Were In Australia 09:02  |  Yishai Kohen 20/02/08
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      44.   ISRAEL MUST STOP JEWISH ALIYAH 09:46  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 20/02/08
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      53.   WONT YOU ACCEPT THE LAST AND GREATEST MESSANGERS MESSAGE 09:56  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 20/02/08
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      57.   ISLAM IS THE GREATEST KNIFE ! KEEP YOUR HEADS AWAY 10:03  |  THE VAMPIRES 20/02/08
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