"Just a media spin designed to help both Prime Minister Sharon and US President Bush with their respective constituencies." So says Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman about yesterday's New York Times report of a Bush Administration move towards approval of some Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria. Huberman has been tracking the Bush Administration's stance regarding growth in Yesha.
The Times reported that according to the latest modification of American policy, "the administration now supports construction of new apartments in areas already built up in some settlements, as long as the expansion does not extend outward to undeveloped parts of the West Bank."
The new Israeli-American understanding, says Huberman, is the "perfect formula for drying up the Yesha communities. It is totally irrelevant to say that the Bush Administration has 'changed its policy.' Just note the American condition: the new construction must only be for 'natural growth' and must not extend beyond where houses are currently built. What this means is that the only thing that is allowed is atop existing houses or on the grass in between houses."
A U.S. team of technical advisors, led by a top State Department intelligence official, is to travel to Israel next month and examine the boundary lines of construction sites in settlements.
After the recent Israeli announcement of tenders for the construction of 1,001 housing units in Maaleh Adumim - a city just east of Jerusalem - American officials and spokespersons did not take a strong position. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said only, "What we have asked of the Israeli government is to let us know what it is that they are doing." She later said, "Settlement expansion is not consistent with our understanding under the Road Map."
Israel can argue that point from at least two angles: that "natural growth" is permitted, and that in any event Israel agreed to undertake Road Map commitments only once the PA fulfills its obligations, including stopping terrorist activities. Israel uses these arguments infrequently, if at all.
The Times reported that according to the latest modification of American policy, "the administration now supports construction of new apartments in areas already built up in some settlements, as long as the expansion does not extend outward to undeveloped parts of the West Bank."
The new Israeli-American understanding, says Huberman, is the "perfect formula for drying up the Yesha communities. It is totally irrelevant to say that the Bush Administration has 'changed its policy.' Just note the American condition: the new construction must only be for 'natural growth' and must not extend beyond where houses are currently built. What this means is that the only thing that is allowed is atop existing houses or on the grass in between houses."
A U.S. team of technical advisors, led by a top State Department intelligence official, is to travel to Israel next month and examine the boundary lines of construction sites in settlements.
After the recent Israeli announcement of tenders for the construction of 1,001 housing units in Maaleh Adumim - a city just east of Jerusalem - American officials and spokespersons did not take a strong position. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said only, "What we have asked of the Israeli government is to let us know what it is that they are doing." She later said, "Settlement expansion is not consistent with our understanding under the Road Map."
Israel can argue that point from at least two angles: that "natural growth" is permitted, and that in any event Israel agreed to undertake Road Map commitments only once the PA fulfills its obligations, including stopping terrorist activities. Israel uses these arguments infrequently, if at all.