Israel to Build 1,000 New Housing Units in West Bank

[dutchdemocrat]

Israel to Build 1,000 New Housing Units in West Bank
The Associated Press
Published: Aug 17, 2004


JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel invited bids for the construction of some 1,000 homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, an official said, in direct violation of a U.S.-backed peace plan calling for a settlement freeze.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had temporarily suspended the bids, asking that construction plans be checked - a decision seen, in part, as an attempt to defuse tensions with the United States over continued settlement expansion.

The bids, reissued Tuesday, are for units in six West Bank settlements - Karnei Shomron, Ariel, Geva Benyamin, Maaleh Adumim, Kiryat Arba and Beitar Illit - said Housing Ministry spokesman Kobi Bleich said.

Bleich said all the settlements were within "the Israeli consensus," meaning these are settlements Israel hopes to annex in a future peace deal.

Under the provisions of the U.S.-backed "road map" for Middle East peace, Israel must halt all construction in West Bank settlements.

<SNIP>

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB1T2PUZXD.html

[wicket]

1. kick

:kick:

[Karenina]

2. Facts on the ground.

[denverbill]

3. That makes it even for the thousands they've bulldozed, right?

Oh, houses for Israelis?

[wrate]

4. How do you share a pizza with someone that keeps eating the slices?

That is what a lawyer for the Palestinians said a few years ago when talking about this problem. Of course, in this and in ANY situation, the Israelis will always be the victims, that is the one sure thing.