(Israeli) Government reneges on undertaking to US

[tinnypriv]

Note: The blue parts taken (not always in order, for clarity) from the Hebrew version. Both english and Hebrew links at the bottom. Posted in I/P and LBN due to nature of topic: US-Israeli relations.


Government reneges on undertaking to US
Ma'ariv, 1 August 2004
By Eilil Shahar

** PM and Defense Minister ok plans ("in secret") for construction of 600 new accommodation units in WB Jerusalem suburb of Ma’aleh Adumim **

The PM and Defense Minister have approved plans to begin construction of an additional 600 homes in the large West Bank settlement city of Ma’aleh Adumim, a suburb of Jerusalem approximately 10 miles from the capital (whilst also "preventing the Ministry of Housing and Construction from publishing the tender in the press and on the internet site of the Ministry, as it requested", because, this would "arouse international criticism").

The new construction will add about 2,00 inhabitants ("mostly new immmigrants") to the city, an increase of around seven percent.

...

A Defense ministry source (under a heading of "Sharon continues to deceive") confirmed that the construction is part of the policy to increase the size of the large Jewish settlements, which Israel plans on keeping after the unilateral disengagement, under the “secure and safe borders” paragraph of relevant UN resolutions. The US affirmed its support for this position in the undertakings President Bush gave PM Sharon as part of the disengagement support package.

However that package also includes an Israeli undertaking not to initiate any new development in any West Bank settlement, other than public utilities needed to service the current populations (which "the construction of these 600 new units is (therefore) a breach of").

The administration is already growing impatient over what it regards as Israeli foot-dragging over settlement related matters. Israeli promises to dismantle what it admits are illegal outposts remain unfulfilled, and the reports it keeps promising to send regarding illegal outposts remain undelivered, like the proverbial “check in the mail” (despite agreeing with "U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer" to "sketch with aerial photography permissable boundaries of construction in all settlements" over "three months ago").

...

http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=10409
http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART/762/685.html (Hebrew)

[LiberalVoice]

1. Not suprised...

Israel wants everything their way. That or nothing at all.

[acmavm]

2. Surprise, surprise. So Israel isn't going to keep it's part of the

bargain? Geez,what can I say? That I'm shocked? Hell no.

For some reason I also don't believe that the bush* administration is all that shocked either. What with Perle and Wolfie being in so tight with the Israeli government, how would someone not know?

Well, there goes ANY hopes for a settlement of the Israeli/Palestinian problem.

[tinnypriv]

5. Actually

One of the top commentators in this journal (Ben Kaspit) states that the Bush adminstration is stocked with folks who are "more right-wing than Avigdor Lieberman" - i.e. total fanatics.

[Karmadillo]

3. Such disrespect for the USA. Surely the free press will not hesitate to

alert the citizenry. Surely the Bush Administration will not let this slap in the face go unpunished.

[Darranar]

4. I am not at all convinced that the administration is growing...

"impatient" about anything regarding Israel these days. While theoretically it may hurt them in the election, with John Kerry professing to be just as great a supporter of expansionist Israeli policy the choices in the election, when it comes to this particular issue, are nonexistent.