[NPR] Peter Kenyon - As the Obama administration continues to press for a freeze to all new construction in Jewish settlements, real estate agents are reporting a rush to buy apartments both in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. In Maale Adumim, a modern settlement in the hills east of Jerusalem, developers have seen the yellow light of U.S. pressure and are responding with a mini-rush on apartments. Real estate agent Ayalon Cohen says he is selling six to ten units a month, comparable to the fastest-growing towns in Israel. Talk of a settlement freeze, it seems, is good for business. "There's a lot of demand. A young couple that wants to buy in Jerusalem cannot afford to do so," Cohen says. Before Obama's statements, a three-bedroom apartment in Maale Adumim sold for $215,000. Now, the price has jumped to $244,000.
2009-07-23 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive