(Ha'aretz) Barak Ravid, Natasha Mozgovaya and Jack Khoury - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Cabinet on Sunday that all Israeli governments have maintained the same policy on building in east Jerusalem. "Construction in Jerusalem is like construction in Tel Aviv and we have clarified that for the American government." Netanyahu has promised the Obama administration that Israel will make several goodwill gestures to the Palestinians. Israel has agreed to ease the blockade on Gaza, release hundreds of Fatah-affiliated prisoners as a gesture to Mahmoud Abbas, and discuss all core issues during the proximity talks, with the condition of reaching final conclusions only in direct talks with the PA. However, the prime minister refused to revoke a decision to build 1,600 Jewish homes in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Jerusalem or freeze construction in the city.
2010-03-22 10:08:01Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive