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Permanent Housing at Settlement Outpost of Palgei Mayim

Americans for Peace Now (APN) today released recent photographs of the settlement outpost called Palgei Mayim which show both temporary trailers and an aerial view of permanent houses being built

Washington, D.C.-Americans for Peace Now (APN) today released recent photographs of the settlement outpost called Palgei Mayim, located near the West Bank settlement of Eli and east of the settlement of Ariel. The photographs show the temporary trailers where settlers currently live, as well as an aerial view of permanent houses being built on the site. Such construction raises the question as to whether the proposed security fence around the Ariel salient will stretch so far east that it would prevent the contiguity of a potential Palestinian state. APN is a Jewish, Zionist organization dedicated to enhancing Israel's security through peace and to supporting the Israeli Peace Now movement.

Dror Etkes, director of Peace Now's Settlements Watch project, said, "The outpost of Palgei Mayim was first spotted in February 1999. Approximately 20 families now are living there. Two years ago, the settlers cleared the area around the outpost in order to begin construction of permanent houses at the site. Today, the construction of ten new houses is almost complete. Settlers did not get permission in advance from the Israeli government to build Palgei Mayim, but there is no way that such permanent settlement housing could be built without the government's knowledge. This is another example of the government establishing facts on the ground that are designed to stop any chance of peace being reached between Israelis and Palestinians."


Photo #1 (credited to Peace Now's Settlements Watch Project): Aerial view of Palgei Mayim in its early stages, with just trailers. Photo taken in 2000: http://www.peacenow.org/palgeimaim2000.jpg

Photo #2 (credited to Dror Etkes/Peace Now's Settlements Watch Project): Aerial view of land cleared at Palgei Mayim for construction of permanent housing. Photo taken 2/1/02: http://www.peacenow.org/palgeimaim2002.jpg

Photo #3 (credited to Dror Etkes/Peace Now's Settlements Watch Project): Aerial view of permanent housing being built at Palgei Mayim. Photo taken 6/17/04: http://www.peacenow.org/palgeimaim2004.jpg

Photo #4 (credited to Lewis Roth/Americans for Peace Now): Temporary trailers at the outpost of Palgei Mayim, as seen from the main road leading to the site. Photo taken 6/14/04: http://www.peacenow.org/elioutpost.jpg