The Government of Israel is being widely criticized for having approved tenders for the construction of 1,000 housing units in Judea and Samaria. The critics say that this is in opposition to an agreement with the U.S. to freeze all building in Yesha, even that which is necessitated by the population's natural growth. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli did not condemn Israel, saying only, "Our concern is to determine whether these tenders are consistent with Israel's previous commitments." Israeli officials say that the houses are planned for inside existing communities in areas that Israel plans to keep under all future arrangements. The units are to be built in Ariel, Maaleh Adumim, Karnei Shomron, and Beitar Illit.
"This is construction within cities that are part of the large settlement blocs," Housing Minister Tzippy Livni explained. "It is not connected with the disengagement plan, and it is part of government policy and national consensus." She emphasized that it has nothing to do with unauthorized outposts.
The Yesha Council, for its part, is not impressed with Sharon's sudden decision to unfreeze the tenders. "Publicizing these tenders so soon before the Likud convention proves that this is just a manipulation by the Prime Minister on the Likud members," said Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef. Others said that this was just Sharon's way of neutralizing some of the right-wing pressure upon him. "In the past," Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said, "Sharon promised to include the city of Ariel within the route of the anti-terrorism fence, but once the pressure within the Likud dropped, we suddenly found that Ariel was left out of the fence."