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Israeli Envoy Calls Settlement Plan a Politically Necessary Reprisal
(Christian Science Monitor) Howard LaFranchi - Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren last week placed the announcement of plans for settlement construction in the "E1" tract near Jerusalem in the context of the Palestinians' successful bid on Nov. 29 for enhanced UN status. "We felt if the Palestinians were taking unilateral action in the UN, we had to also send the message that we could take unilateral actions," he said. A long line of Israeli leaders has considered retention of control over E1 as critical to Jerusalem's security. At the same time, he noted that Israel's growing economy, strengthened relations with some of the world's major or emerging powers, including Russia, China, and India, and a vibrant high-tech sector, make for an upbeat assessment of its future.