Israel Plans Settlement Expansion, Defying U.S.

[hang a left]

Israel Plans Settlement Expansion, Defying U.S.




JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has begun work on a major expansion of its biggest West Bank settlement in a move certain to draw concern from a visiting White House envoy on Thursday, officials said.

New construction would link Maale Adumim to Jerusalem and could cut Palestinians off from the city they seek to share as the capital of a future independent state. It would flout a U.S.-backed "road map" for peace.

News of the project drew fury from Palestinians, who suspect Israel will strengthen its hold on big chunks of the West Bank while trying to distract attention with a plan to uproot smaller settlements in the occupied Gaza Strip next year.

Political sources said Sharon recently put into action a decade-old plan to develop 3,750 acres of West Bank land linking Maale Adumim to Jerusalem. Some roads had already been marked out and sewage pipes laid, they said.



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http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5884381

[madrchsod]

1. nothing new

this has been going on for years. it will stop when all Palestinians are removed from the land of Israel. remember this- there never was a Palestinian homeland.

[Crunchy Frog]

2. Gosh,

I wonder what the penalty will be for daring to defy the U.S.?:eyes:

[HereSince1628]

3. A few tens of million$ in aid, of course

Bush is well connected to the Likud and vice versa. This is only a surprise to those who aren't up to date on current events.

[burrowowl]

4. Make that

a billion or so more.
I'm voting for Kerry, but so far he seems to be for the fence and whatever the zionists want. Remember there is a difference between Zionists and Jews. Many of my Jewish friends are against what Sharon is doing, some fought in the French Resistance.

[HereSince1628]

5. I agree,

but I don't have friends from the French resistance. My limited circle of friends doesn't include many people over 70.

[Jack The Tab]

6. Good lord - you mean Israel is defying U.N. resolutions? whowuddathunkit?

Just some more of Sharon's "Facts on the ground" I guess...

Why do we continue to be Israel's chief enabler in the world?