Homes in the area were under Jewish ownership until 1947, and during the two decades of Jordanian rule of the city, they functioned as a wholesale market.
by Chaim Levinson
Settlers have moved into two Lowell-owned (a shell company set up on behalf of right-wing groups such as Elad) apartments in East Jerusalem this week, in what appears to be coincidence, though incident a day before led to clashes between Israelis and Palestinians.
See excerpts from and links to:
Ha'aretz: "Israeli settlers win ownership of East Jerusalem home after lengthy battle"
YNET: "Jews move into another east Jerusalem home"
AFP: "Israeli settlers expand presence in east Jerusalem"
(Pictured: 2nd floor settler apartment, above and below Palestinian, in the heart of Arab East Jerusalem's Jabel Mukaber)
"The only reason it was passed was to put more barriers in front of any potential peace agreement. It was tailored to political considerations and not to constitutional ideas and ideals. This is not how constitutional work is done," Sfard said. (Michael Sfard is the attorney who would represent Peace Now)
There is something odd about the argument over an "additional freeze" and the price that Israel is supposed to pay for it. It is odd because a complete cessation of the settlement enterprise is an Israeli interest. Unless, that is, we insist on striding towards the vision of Moshe Arens, Ruby Rivlin, Ilan Pappe, Tzippi Hotovely, the activists in the Zochrot non-profit organization and many others, from Left and Right, who act in word and deed, with opposed interests, to promote the achievement of their vision of one large state.
By Tony Karon
(excerpt)
Netanyahu still has to convince his Cabinet to embrace the deal, and he'll get some pushback from within his party and among settlers who will be furious about a new building slowdown (although the Israeli group Peace Now, which strongly opposes settlements, noted last week that in the six weeks since the last moratorium expired, settlers have started to work on pretty much the same number of housing units as they would have built in the 10 months it covered).
(Peace Now's) New report suggests that '1,126 foundations have been laid in 45 days, compared to 1,888 for all of '09'; data relies on aerial footage.
Also included are excerpts and link to:
AFP: "Settlers started 1650 new homes since freeze end, says Peace Now"
and the entire: Ma'ariv: "Accelerated Construction "Erased" the Freeze"
Israel was on Sunday examining a package of US incentives in exchange for a fresh ban on West Bank construction as a Peace Now report showed settlers have been building at a furious pace.
Articles:
AFP: "Israel eyes West Bank freeze as settlers race to build"
Toronto Star: "Efforts heat up for Israeli settlement freeze"
AP: "Plan for Mideast talks bets on quick border deal"
LA Times: "Netanyahu lobbies his Cabinet on U.S. peace talk incentives"Washington Post: "Israeli Cabinet to consider US settlement proposal"
Guardian: "Israel's cabinet split over fresh building freeze despite US offer of military aid"
