Talks Continue While Settlers Celebrate “Freeze End”

Monday September 27, 2010 10:41 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

As the so-called temporary freeze on settlement activities in the occupied West Bank had officially ended. Talks between the United States, Israel and the Palestinian Authority are ongoing in an effort to overcome this obstacle, whilst Israeli settlers are celebrating the resumption of settlement activities.

The Israeli occupation government Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, received several calls from U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, and King Abdullah of Jordan urging him to extend the freeze.

Israeli sources reported that Netanyahu stated that Israel is willing to continue these talks in the coming days in order to reach a compromise for continuing peace talks with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu also demanded that Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, continue talks with Israel in order to achieve what he described as “a historic peace agreement”.

He also said that he hoped Abbas “would resume the path of peace that started three weeks ago”, and added that many leaders around the world realized that he [Netanyahu] is serious and respects his commitments.

During his Sunday meeting with Jewish leaders in France, president Abbas said that the peace process would be a waste of time should Israel resume its settlement activities in the occupied territories.

He also stated that he will continue to hold meetings with Jewish leaders and representatives around the world, and added that he believes peoples make peace, not governments.

Abbas admitted that the current talks are facing numerous obstacles adding that the time has come for decisions, not talks. He also stressed that the Palestinians want an independent state within the 1967 borders with certain modifications, such as possible land swaps.

The Palestinian President further stated that the Arab Follow-up Committee will be holding a meeting in Cairo on October 4th to discuss the issue of resuming talks with Israel after it decided to resume its settlement activities.

The United States started separate talks with Israel and the Palestinian Authority, while U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, phoned Netanyahu twice on Sunday.

This is happening while settlers in the occupied territories held celebrations marking the end of the temporary settlement freeze and vowed to double their construction work.

Israeli Transportation Minister, Yisrael Katz, stated Sunday that settlement constructions will resume, and called on all parties that have construction permits to start building.

His statements came as he spoke to more than 3,000 members of the Likud party. He told them that all constructions will resume as usual.

Settlers celebrating the end of settlement freeze at the Revava settlement demanded Netanyahu not to “subdue” to any pressures, and to start authorizing all constructions in Israeli settlements.

Settlers leaders also called on Netanyahu to admit that he made a mistake by imposing a freeze on settlement activities.

Furthermore, Likud member of Knesset, Tzipi Hotovely, said that the Likud party was not elected in order to establish a Palestinian State, and also called for resuming all settlement activities in the occupied territories, including in occupied East Jerusalem.

Settlement Activities Did Not Stop During Settlement Freeze, Research Center Says

Monday September 27, 2010 08:34 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Land and Research Center reported that Israel was ongoing with its settlement activities during the co-called temporary settlement freeze that officially expired by midnight Sunday.

The Center said that Israel continued the work in more than 120 settlements and annexed large areas of Palestinian lands in the West Bank.

It added that statistics revealed that settlement activities did not halt during the freeze, and that some 1,520 units were built or are currently under construction.

Israel also prepared contracts for the construction of 2,066 units for settlements in addition to plans for construction of 37,679 units for settlers in the near future.

The Center further stated that Israel annexed 5,906 dunams of Palestinian lands during the “settlement freeze”, and uprooted 920 dunams of Palestinian farmlands and orchards.

Also during the freeze, Israel demolished 280 homes and structures, and intends to demolish nearly 830 structures.

Israel also prevented the paving of 10 new roads in several parts of the West Bank, while settlers occupied 13 homes and managed to pave 28 settler-only roads.

In related news, Israeli media sources reported that Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has asked his ministers not to make any announcements or statements regarding the end of settlement freeze, and also asked settler leaders to cancel plans for celebrating the end of this freeze.

The sources added that Israeli Member of Knesset of the Likud Party, Danny Dannon, stated that Monday will witness the placing of cornerstones for some 2,000 units in different West Bank settlements. The Likud Party is headed by Netanyahu.

• 1 Dunam equals 0.247 Acres