News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) According to Yediot Acharonot, officials in the Defense Ministry are trying to reach a deal with residents of several Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria that lack government authorization.  Officials are hoping that residents of 18 such communities will agree to leave willingly.

In exchange, the government will allow construction in cities in Judea and Samaria such as Ariel, Efrat, Elkana, and Maaleh Adumim.  Construction in the cities and in “settlement blocs” was frozen following the Annapolis conference of 2007, and any new building project needs approval from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.