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Israel plans a settlement in West Bank
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published December 27, 2006
JERUSALEM - Israel has approved a new settlement in the West Bank to house former Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip, officials said Tuesday, breaking a promise to the United States to halt home construction in the Palestinian territories. Construction in the northern West Bank town of Maskiot began months ago, but the project only received final approval from the Defense Ministry last week, said Dubi Tal, head of the Jordan Valley regional council. Saeb Erekat, an aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the construction and urged the government to revoke its authorization, saying it violated the spirit of cooperation inaugurated by a meeting Saturday between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "What message are they trying to send?" Erekat asked. The settlement will house 23 families who were evacuated when Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip last year and will eventually house 100 families, Tal said. Under the stalled, U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan, Israel pledged to freeze all settlement expansion, while the Palestinians promised to crack down on militants. Neither side has followed through. "The U.S. view on settlements remains unchanged," said Geoff Anisman, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv. "The U.S. continues to urge both sides to meet their road map obligations." The Olmert-Abbas summit on Saturday sought to build on momentum from an Israeli cease-fire with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which took effect last month. Despite the truce, Gaza militants launched seven rockets into Israel on Tuesday, hitting a street in the town of Sderot and seriously wounding two 13-year-old boys, Israeli officials said. The militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. Militants have launched about 60 rockets since the truce was declared, and Israeli officials have warned their patience is waning. Meanwhile, Israeli troops shot and seriously injured a Palestinian near the fence separating Israel and the Gaza Strip. Palestinian officials said the man was a farmer working near the fence. The army said two Palestinians were attempting to sabotage part of the fence and ignored warning shots.
[Last modified December 27, 2006, 00:40:59]
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by Tim
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12/30/06 01:31 AM
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Israel is much like Iraq, a mistake that should not have been started and is almost impossible to amend. Those who hate us may well have good reason to do so. Let's start treating everyone with respect, not just those who support our "interests".
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by Jim
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12/27/06 03:21 PM
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If Israel really wants to get serious about this situtation. Then remove all Palestinians take over all of the land. There will never be peace in the middle east. This conflict has been an on going one since the exile of the israelies from Egypt.
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by Doug
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12/27/06 03:22 AM
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America gives Israel a million dollars per day. This new permanent conversion of Palestinian land into Israeli land is functionally an American policy. Israel's government plays us for suckers. Cut the funds or continue pay rolling land theft.
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