Israel OKs Expansion of Jewish Settlements

[Englander]

The Associated Press
Sunday, May 21, 2006; 1:54 AM

JERUSALEM -- Israel's defense ministry has approved in recent weeks the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a settlement watchdog group said Sunday.

The expansions of the settlements were the first in years, the group said. The United States opposes such settlement activity on lands that Israel captured in 1967 and the Palestinians want for a future state.

The Israeli army signed last week an order for the expansion of the Beitar Ilit settlement near Jerusalem by 100 acres, said the leader of the Peace Now group, Yariv Oppenheimer. The expansion of the legal boundaries of the settlement will connect it to Israel proper, Oppenheimer said.

He said other settlements have been expanded but did not have full details.

Israel Radio reported Sunday that, in addition to Beitar Ilit, the settlements of Givat Zeev, Oranit and Maskiot have been expanded by order of the defense ministry, the radio said. The orders were signed by Defense Minister Amir Peretz, the radio said.

Link;
Washington Post

[NobleCynic]

1. Any clue if

these are militarily strategic expansions or primarily politically motivated?

[drduffy]

2. both?

[Grebrook]

3. Bad idea

Doesn't look like a very good idea at all.

[Poll_Blind]

4. How many new settlements will be started before Olmert declares final...

...borders?

PB

[Englander]

5. Only '20-30 settlements' to be removed

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plans for the division of the West Bank involve the dismantling and relocation of 20 to 30 settlements, and not the previously assumed evacuation of the vast majority of the settlements on the far side of the security barrier, the prime minister's adviser for settlements, Uzi Keren, has told The Jerusalem Post.

Speaking ahead of Olmert's meeting at the White House Tuesday with President George W. Bush, Keren, who stressed that he has been given "neither formal nor informal" specifics on the scope of the planned withdrawal, said that the aim was to create and bolster major settlement blocs "that we will defend with all our strength," while simultaneously ensuring contiguous territory for a viable Palestinian state. He added that he hoped that this could be achieved through dialogue with the Palestinians rather than unilaterally.

"I'm not sure that the line of the fence will be the line of the Palestinian state," said Keren in a lengthy interview at the Prime Minister's Office, adding that there were settlement blocs beyond the barrier route that would not be relinquished and for which other solutions would have to be found. The much-discussed figure of 70,000 settlers to be relocated was thus exaggerated, he said.

There is no definitive figure for the number of settlements that will be beyond the embrace of the security barrier when it is completed, but estimates are in the range of 55 or more. Olmert has indicated that his "convergence" or "realignment" vision would involve adjustments to the barrier route that would increase the proportion of West Bank territory retained by Israel, but Keren's comments suggest the retention of many more settlements than previously indicated.

For example, Keren said he did not envisage "the Beit El group" of settlements north of Jerusalem being relinquished. Asked whether this "Beit El group" included settlements further north such as Ofra and even Shilo, he said he did not see them being given up and that "there's room to maneuver."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1148287843514&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[idontwantaname]

6. but i thought...

you mean they say one thing, then do another?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x126084

talks or not the wheels are already in motion.