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Shas leader Eli Yishai. (Daniel Bar-On / Jini)
Last update - 00:53 12/03/2008
PA official: W. Bank construction threatens peace process
By Yair Ettinger, Barak Ravid, Meron Rapoport, Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies
Tags: Israel, Settlement, West Bank 

Head Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia said Tuesday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's decision to allow the resumption of construction in the West Bank settlement of Givat Ze'ev endangers the struggling peace process, and he promised to raise the issue with a key U.S. mediator later this week.

"Israel must freeze construction in areas claimed by the Palestinians in order to get peace talks back on track," Queria said.

Coalition member Shas on Monday hailed Olmert's decision as a victory of its efforts. But it also drew the ire of the United States and the international community.
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At the ultra-Orthodox party, the decision to allow construction of 750 housing units in the neighborhood was described as a triumph. "This is a Shas success, everything has been enabled," a source in the party said.

"The first stage is Givat Ze'ev, and in the next stages the Haredi [ultra-Orthodox] cities of Beitar Ilit and Modi'in Ilit will also be released [for construction]."

Olmert agreed to thaw out a number of the frozen construction permits after Shas threatened last week to abstain from the no-confidence vote against the government. The vote was held in the Knesset Monday.

Two weeks ago Shas leaders Eli Yishai and Ariel Atias warned that the party would not support the government in the no-confidence vote unless the construction was authorized.

The decision to approve construction in the neighborhood - stopped several years ago due to the security situation - drew American criticism Monday. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice raised the issue during a meeting in Washington with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Rice also spoke with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on the issue.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the European Union and the British government also voiced opposition to the decision.

All noted that stopping construction in the settlements is one of Israel's commitments as part of the road map.

The U.S. administration is consistently opposed to any construction in East Jerusalem and believes that this may endanger the chances for reaching a final-status agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

American officials said the Bush administration "frowns upon this announcement," adding that the matter is expected to come up during a meeting of the tripartite security committee. The committee, comprising representatives of the U.S., Israel and PA, monitors the implementation of the two sides' commitments to the road map, and will meet for the first time on Thursday.

The meeting will include Barak, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and U.S. general William Fraser. The retired general was appointed by Rice to monitor Palestinian counterterrorism activities, Israeli evacuation of the illegal outposts and an end to construction in the settlements.

The UN secretary general called on Israel to stop the construction in Givat Ze'ev and fulfill its obligations in the road map.

"Any settlement expansion is contrary to Israel's obligations under the road map and to international law," Ban said in a statement.

Ban urged Israel to halt the expansion of the Givat Ze'ev settlement in the West Bank and restate its obligations to the road map.

The European Union condemned Israel's construction plans, saying last week's attack on a Jewish seminary by a Palestinian gunman did not justify such a move.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said after a meeting of the bloc's 27 foreign ministers: "The latest statement by the Israeli government as far as settlements is concerned, we'd like to say we deplored that statement."

"We think that the reaction to what happened on the ground is not justified," he told a news conference, recalling that a halt to settlement activity was enshrined in the first phase of the road map.

Israel said Sunday that plans to build a total of 750 homes in Givat Ze'ev were being revived.

The new building was announced three days after a Palestinian gunman killed eight students at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem associated with the settler movement.

Britain asked Israel for clarifications on the matter of the construction and the Foreign Office issued a statement describing this development as not being conducive to the implementation of the first stage of the road map.

Two weeks ago, the Housing Ministry announced that it authorized the construction of 400 housing units in the neighborhood of Neveh Yaakov in East Jerusalem, and is considering the construction of 250 more housing units there.

Meanwhile, it was announced Monday that Vice President Dick Cheney would be visiting Israel next week. President George W. Bush said Monday that Cheney would be visiting Oman, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, in addition to Israel and the PA, where he is expected to push the two sides for progress within the Annapolis framework.

During her visit to Washington, Livni met with former senior administration officials as well as Mideast advisers to the presidential candidates.

"We will not allow Hamas to choose when to attack and when to pause in order to rebuild its force," she said. "The problem of smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip must be dealt with and we must not ignore it.



Related articles:
  • Housing Min. rejects Rice warning against E. J'lem construction
  • Diplomat: U.S. firmly opposes all W. Bank, E. J'lem construction
  • Livni to try to prevent Quartet condemnation of East Jerusalem construction
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    Bring the house down
    Dichter to police: Demolish home of J'lem yeshiva terrorist.
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      1.   Wrong response 03:41  |  PEtero 11/03/08
      2.   Entirely fits this corrupt party 03:41  |  Moon 11/03/08
      3.   The New Shas: Real estate as good as bribe as money 03:58  |  Yael 11/03/08
      4.   Good to see! 04:02  |  Paul 11/03/08
      5.   Hey Condi, we fooled you again 04:13  |  Eli Y. 11/03/08
      6.   More of the same 04:22  |  Bla Bla 11/03/08
      7.   The Philosophy of Appeasement Translate Into A Process 04:24  |  Joseph . E 11/03/08
      8.   The UN will not even call the attack a terror attack 04:44  |  Steven 11/03/08
      9.   shas right on the money! 04:45  |  david 11/03/08
      10.   not keeping you word is tabu in most cultures 04:46  |  but not in zion 11/03/08
      11.   Why does a construction of housing by a suvereign country 05:01  |  Boris 11/03/08
      12.   Evidently shooting up a yeshiva is allowed by the road map 05:10  |  McQueen 11/03/08
      13.   Shas puts Israel in a bad light 05:16  |  US CITIZEN 11/03/08
      14.   Are they going to also 05:35  |  Rav Harley 11/03/08
      15.   Good response to Yeshiva shooting!! 05:50  |  Hanan 11/03/08
      16.   Mr Shas 05:51  |  Wo0nderland 11/03/08
      17.   Why should Haredi dictate Israeli policy? 05:51  |  Michael 11/03/08
      18.   Arab East Jerusalem is a setelment, always was a setelment 07:12  |  Like it is 11/03/08
      19.   ISRAEL: outlaw, illigitimate and warmongering! 07:14  |  Samy 11/03/08
      20.   This amounts to political terrorism 07:30  |  Dutch 11/03/08
      21.   Here is What the Pals Don?t Want You To Know & What Others Delegi 07:37  |  Brad 11/03/08
      22.   Israel`s demise 07:41  |  Yoni 11/03/08
      23.   Very consistent response 07:55  |  Ajai Burns 11/03/08
      24.   EU,UN & US think they can rule world by Bullying countries 08:00  |  Let Israel Live 11/03/08
      25.   The land is NOT Israel`s 08:12  |  Punk Rocker 11/03/08
      26.   A referendum for the unity of Jerusalem. 08:24  |  Jean Van Daem 11/03/08
      27.   Shas in government spells regression... 08:33  |  Esther 11/03/08
      28.   Shas can claim credit for destroying any chance of peace 08:35  |  SJ 11/03/08
      29.   primitive 08:35  |  Michael 11/03/08
      30.   Build, build, build & then build some more!!!!!!!! 08:44  |  Wise Saba 11/03/08
      31.   Israel`s response to the U.S and Europe 08:47  |  MJ 11/03/08
      32.   Will Shas claim credit when Jerusalem is divided? 09:01  |  Zev 11/03/08
      33.   don`t compare construction with acts of murderous terror 09:03  |  don 11/03/08
      34.   A building ban should be for both sides - if at all 09:03  |  Tal 11/03/08
      35.   The road map is rubbish 09:12  |  American Christian 11/03/08
      36.   For McQueen # 6 09:18  |  Clickfool 11/03/08
      37.   lack of housing 09:23  |  israel 11/03/08
      38.   Why not build? 09:26  |  American Christian 11/03/08
      39.   Rice violates US Constitution&Human Rights,remove her from Govt. 09:29  |  sam 11/03/08
      40.   We WILL Continue To Build Here In OUR Land 09:31  |  Yishai Kohen 11/03/08
      41.   Our right to build 09:42  |  Dror 11/03/08
      42.   This is like political terrorism .... 09:51  |  Dutch 11/03/08
      43.   Nothing that cant be demolished by a bull dozer 09:56  |  SJ 11/03/08
      44.   Hi Yishai, sorry bit it`s not your land 10:02  |  Sam Spade 11/03/08
      45.   PEACE AND LANG GRAB CAN`T GO HAND IN HAND 10:07  |  James 11/03/08
      46.   You have no rights at all Dror 10:13  |  Cham de Frey 11/03/08
      47.   All settlements are illegal,that is the judgment of Theodor Meron 10:24  |  lakshmi 11/03/08
      48.   The Tyranny of the Minority 10:44  |  Trent 11/03/08
      49.   And you expect the Palestinians not to attack??!??!?!??! 10:44  |  raminPERSIANpride 11/03/08
      50.   perhaps Arabs should be banned from builing homes in London!! 10:54  |  Dr Eric 11/03/08
      51.   EU and American Genocide, hypocrisy 10:55  |  eddie 11/03/08
      52.   STOP RASCISM !! 10:56  |  Dr Eric 11/03/08
      53.   Kol HAKAVOD L` SHAS 11:06  |  Dr ERIC 11/03/08
      54.   #5, #16 It`s occupied land. 11:36  |  Boycott 11/03/08
      55.   15 Sam - Ever Read the Constitution? 11:38  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/03/08
      56.   #10 Tal 11:39  |  Boycott 11/03/08
      57.   #16 Yishsai Kohen illegal squatter 11:39  |  Labhras 11/03/08
      58.   #11 American `Christian` 11:44  |  Boycott 11/03/08
      59.   typical israeli lies and broken promises 11:50  |  typikal 11/03/08
      60.   oportunism and easy to ignore all condemn 11:54  |  ana 11/03/08
      61.   US `commitments` 11:55  |  Jeff 11/03/08
      62.   to7/ Wise Saba 12:14  |  Anne 11/03/08
      63.   #13 No wonder you couldn`t find anything... 12:22  |  Johnboy 11/03/08
      64.   Boycott: It`s LIBERATED Land- And It`s OURS 12:25  |  Yishai Kohen 11/03/08
      65.   Building East Jerusalem 12:31  |  petra 11/03/08
      66.   So, SHAS Can Also Make the Dubious Claim to Terror Victims 12:41  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 11/03/08
      67.   Irrational Jews are praying to Allah 12:44  |  Kiarash E 11/03/08
      68.   Facts is this 12:45  |  Sabra 11/03/08
      69.   Sam