Additional signs are in evidence of the dangers facing the "settlement blocs" Prime Minister Sharon promised to keep safe. The Housing Ministry is now "reconsidering" the tenders issued for almost 1,300 housing units in various locations in Judea and Samaria. The instructions to delay the tenders were issued by Prime Minister Sharon himself.
A senior government source said that the plans will be reviewed to ensure that they meet the criteria of the understandings reached with the Bush Administration regarding the restrictions on construction in Yesha. "Within a few days, plans should start being freed up," he said.
The Yesha Council's information states that the tenders are fully budgeted and have already received the necessary authorizations from the Defense and Housing ministries. The tenders under review include the following:
* 604 units in Beitar Illit
* 214 in Ariel
* 156 in Kiryat Arba
* 132 in Adam (Geva Binyamin)
* 141 in Maaleh Adumim
* 42 in Karnei Shomron.
Yesha Council sources say that Sharon has decided on an "all-around freeze on construction in Judea and Samaria."
This past April, Sharon presented his vision of the future of Judea and Samaria: five blocs of Jewish presence. These were to be Ariel and environs, Gush Etzion, Kiryat Arba/Hevron, Givat Ze'ev, and Maaleh Adumim. Contrary to public perception, however, Bush never agreed with Sharon's idea of guaranteed settlement blocs in Yesha. The Bush letter that Sharon triumphantly presented states merely, "In light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli populations centers, it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949" - far from an endorsement of the settlement-bloc conception.
Yesha Council head Bentzy Lieberman said at the time, "As usual, the Prime Minister is hiding certain parts of the agreement, and is in fact deceiving us... Contrary to the impression that he has safeguarded the future of the settlement blocs, they are actually in grave danger."
In official letters to the Bush Administration, Sharon's top aide Dov Weisglass wrote, "No new towns will be built, and construction will be frozen in the existing towns, except for building within the existing building lines - as opposed to the municipal border..." and, "...within the agreed principles of settlement activities, an effort will be made in the next few days to have a better definition of the construction line of settlements in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. An Israeli team, in conjunction with Ambassador Kurtzer, will review aerial photos of settlements and will jointly define the construction line of each of the settlements."
A senior government source said that the plans will be reviewed to ensure that they meet the criteria of the understandings reached with the Bush Administration regarding the restrictions on construction in Yesha. "Within a few days, plans should start being freed up," he said.
The Yesha Council's information states that the tenders are fully budgeted and have already received the necessary authorizations from the Defense and Housing ministries. The tenders under review include the following:
* 604 units in Beitar Illit
* 214 in Ariel
* 156 in Kiryat Arba
* 132 in Adam (Geva Binyamin)
* 141 in Maaleh Adumim
* 42 in Karnei Shomron.
Yesha Council sources say that Sharon has decided on an "all-around freeze on construction in Judea and Samaria."
This past April, Sharon presented his vision of the future of Judea and Samaria: five blocs of Jewish presence. These were to be Ariel and environs, Gush Etzion, Kiryat Arba/Hevron, Givat Ze'ev, and Maaleh Adumim. Contrary to public perception, however, Bush never agreed with Sharon's idea of guaranteed settlement blocs in Yesha. The Bush letter that Sharon triumphantly presented states merely, "In light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli populations centers, it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949" - far from an endorsement of the settlement-bloc conception.
Yesha Council head Bentzy Lieberman said at the time, "As usual, the Prime Minister is hiding certain parts of the agreement, and is in fact deceiving us... Contrary to the impression that he has safeguarded the future of the settlement blocs, they are actually in grave danger."
In official letters to the Bush Administration, Sharon's top aide Dov Weisglass wrote, "No new towns will be built, and construction will be frozen in the existing towns, except for building within the existing building lines - as opposed to the municipal border..." and, "...within the agreed principles of settlement activities, an effort will be made in the next few days to have a better definition of the construction line of settlements in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. An Israeli team, in conjunction with Ambassador Kurtzer, will review aerial photos of settlements and will jointly define the construction line of each of the settlements."