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For U.S., Israeli Housing Plans Are No Longer the Obsessive Center of Attention
(Times of Israel) Raphael Ahren - Today, drama over Israeli plans to build houses in Jewish neighborhoods of east Jerusalem has become unimaginable. As long as the Israeli government coordinates its moves with the White House and does not embarrass it, the Trump administration will likely refrain from denouncing Israel for plans to expand existing settlements. This new wind from Washington is clearly being felt by the Palestinians, who have dropped the demand for a settlement freeze as precondition for talks without much arm-twisting. The fixation on settlements has been superseded by a focus on a large portfolio of issues that need to be addressed. To Ramallah's great chagrin, those issues include incitement to violence and the Palestinian Authority's payments to jailed terrorists and their families.