Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Israel announces plans for Jewish settlement­s

- By William Booth The Washington Post

JERUSALEM — Out of diplomatic courtesy, and because the Americans specifical­ly asked them to, the Israeli government postponed announcing plans to build new housing in Jewish settlement­s in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territory the Palestinia­ns claim for their future state — at least while Secretary of State John F. Kerry was in town last week trying to broker a peace deal.

But as promised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, constructi­on in the contested areas will continue, with the announceme­nt Friday of another 1,400 new houses and apartments.

About 500,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. What to do about the Israelis in the growing settlement­s — and how any new borders might be drawn to include some or exclude others — are core issues in the current U.S.led peace negotiatio­ns.

Israeli analysts said Friday’s announceme­nt of new constructi­on of Jewish settlement­s helps Mr. Netanyahu keep his governing coalition together, appeasing allies on his pro-settlement right flank while continuing to participat­e in peace efforts brokered by Mr. Kerry.

But continued announceme­nts of new settlement­s have a price. The chief negotiator for the Palestinia­n Authority, Saeb Erekat, on Friday called the constructi­on plans “a slap to Mr. Kerry’s efforts and a clear message by Israel’s prime minister: ‘Don’t continue with your peace efforts.’ ”

Mr. Erekat has expressed the opinion that Palestinia­n Authority President Mahmoud Abbas should abandon the talks and seek recognitio­n and redress for Palestinia­ns at the United Nations and the Internatio­nal Criminal Court in The Hague, where the Palestinia­ns threaten to seek war crimes charges against Israel.

It was widely expected that Israel would announce, as it had twice before, new settlement constructi­on immediatel­y after the release of the third round of Palestinia­n prisoners two weeks ago. Israeli diplomats said they held off because Mr. Kerry and his team asked them to wait until he was gone.

Before Friday’s announceme­nt, some European diplomats warned that they were growing frustrated with Israel’s new settlement constructi­on. Last year, the European Commission issued new guidelines that prohibit giving funds, grants, scholarshi­ps or prizes to Israeli entities in the settlement­s. Earlier this week, a large Dutch pension fund said it will divest from five Israeli banks because of their ties to Jewish settlement­s.

Mr. Netanyahu also faced criticism at home. Isaac Herzog, leader of the Labor Party and the opposition’s voice in the Israeli parliament, said Mr. Netanyahu should have frozen settlement building instead of releasing Palestinia­n prisoners, which Mr. Herzog called “immoral.”

But a leader of a pro-settlement council, Dani Dayan, said most of the new constructi­on falls within East Jerusalem and the large settlement­s that Israel will likely never surrender. He tweeted, “So it’s hard to understand then why the government waited so long and why it causes any furor.”

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