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APN Calls on Bush Administration to Work Against Pending Annexation of Maaleh Adumim

Americans for Peace Now (APN) expressed its concern about reports in the Israeli press that the Israeli government is moving forward with construction of a fence that will connect the West Bank settlement of Maaleh Adumim to Jerusalem, thereby unilaterally carrying out a de facto annexation of this territory.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 16, 2005

CONTACT: Lewis Roth - (202) 728-1893

Washington, D.C.-Americans for Peace Now (APN) today expressed its concern about reports in the Israeli press that the Israeli government is moving forward with construction of a fence that will connect the West Bank settlement of Maaleh Adumim to Jerusalem, thereby unilaterally carrying out a de facto annexation of this territory. APN works to enhance Israel's security through peace and to support the Israeli Peace Now movement.

A little more than a month after President George Bush told Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at their Crawford summit "not to undertake any activity that contravenes the road map or prejudices final status obligations," Ma'ariv reported that the Israeli "security establishment has completed all necessary preparations for the construction of a fence that will connect Maaleh Adumim to Jerusalem, and the actual work is expected to begin as early as June." The newspaper also said that the timing of the construction-i.e., before disengagement is carried out-is designed to establish facts on the ground to minimize anticipated U.S. and European objections and preempt any political negotiations on this issue with the Palestinians. The proposed section of the fence will provide for Jewish settlement east of Jerusalem and prevent the Palestinians from establishing territorial contiguity between the north and south of the West Bank. Construction of this part of the fence complements the earlier Israeli decision to build 3,500 new settlement housing units between Maaleh Adumim and Jerusalem, as part of a plan to establish settlement contiguity known as E-1.

"While President Bush has appropriately continued to press the Palestinians to meet their obligations to fight terrorism, it's now time for him to spend some of his political capital to stop the Israeli government from unilaterally connecting Maaleh Adumim to Jerusalem," said Debra DeLee, President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now. "The Bush Administration cannot wait for Israel to complete its evacuation of Gaza before weighing in. Prime Minister Sharon is moving full steam ahead to essentially annex one of the most sensitive areas of the West Bank to Israel. If the White House does not step in immediately and firmly, then there will be little chance for achieving the president's self-proclaimed goal of seeing the establishment of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel. Although many observers expect that under any future peace agreement, Maaleh Adumim will remain part of Israel-with a land swap to compensate the Palestinians for the territory-this should not be done through provocative, unilateral actions."


The Peace Now Settlement Watch project and APN have just issued a new FACT SHEET on the E-1 plan and issues associated with Maaleh Adumim.