European Union Expresses Concern over Israeli Settlement Grants

Saturday December 12, 2009 03:56 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

The European Union expressed concern Friday about the Israeli occupation government prime minister’s plans to grant credits to some settlers building illegally in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank.

The EU is consulting its partners in the Middle East about the move.

The new credits, worth forty one million dollars, would benefit over a hundred and ten thousand illegal Israeli settlers, according to Israeli officials.

The settlement issue is one of the most pressing in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian standoff, as Israeli settlements continue to expand in direct violation of signed agreements and international law.

Peace efforts, which resumed in 2007 after a seven-year hiatus, came to a standstill again when Israel launched a military offensive against Gaza late last year.

Palestinian leaders insist they will not return to the negotiating table unless there is a complete freeze on Jewish construction in the West Bank, including east Jerusalem.

Likud MK: “Settlement Construction to Continue Regardless of Freeze”

Friday December 11, 2009 14:55 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli occupation government Minister of the Likud Party, Benny Begin, stated that constructions in the illegal Israeli settlements will resume regardless of the temporary settlement freeze decision, and added that the 10-month freeze of settlement activities will witness increasing the number of settlers by the thousands.

Begin said that at least 10.000 Jewish settlers will be living in the new constructions.

He added that the government “will not freeze the lives of the illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank”, and added that there should be no distinction between West Bank settlements, settlement Blocs, and isolated outposts.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, intends to approve further financial support, estimated by 25 Million USD to Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

He approved a plan to support large settlements in several West Bank areas.

This includes the settlements of Itamar, Elon Moreh, Tapoah, Bracha, Keryat Arba, Edora, Beit Ayin, and several outposts in the Hebron area.

Netanyahu’s spokesperson, Mark Regev, said that the new plan would be presented to the Ministerial Council on Sunday for approval.
Regev added that these settlements are not part of the 10-month settlement freeze.

He further stated that the government wants to improve the services in these settlements by improving their infrastructure, transportation system, and educational facilities.

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.