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Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112668202734
U.S., Israel Search for Common Ground on Settlement Construction
(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Israel and the U.S. are drafting a statement on settlement construction that will come out of next week's meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon that is vague enough for both sides to live with, a senior diplomatic official said Tuesday. "To present the settlement issue as the major issue right now is counterproductive to the interests of both Israel and the U.S., which are to get disengagement under way and to get Abu Mazen to act against terrorism," the official said. He added that the statement will have sufficient leeway for Israel to interpret it to mean that it can build in densely populated settlement blocs, but not in isolated settlements, without getting an overt U.S. okay. Israel is expected to agree not to take any action that may jeopardize final-status arrangements with the PA.