Israel says it won’t build near Maali Adumim soon

After the announcement of a huge settlement project linking Maali Adumim settlement with Jerusalem, thus blocking geographical unity between the Palestinian areas, Israel said if gave the American administration commitments that it will not build between Jerusalem and Maali Adumim during this period, the Jerusalem post reported.

Israeli vice Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert said on Thursday that the project was put on hold indefinitely.

“Israel has committed itself to freeze the construction”, Olmert told the Jerusalem post.

Israel planned to build 3500 housing units in the outskirts of Maali Adumim settlement, and link it to Jerusalem. This project which was proposed ten years ago, aims to link the settlement with Jerusalem by annexing thousands of Dunams of Palestinian lands, and blocking geographical contiguity between the Palestinian areas.

“We made the commitment to the US several months go”, Olmert said, “We made the commitment when the final approval of the plan was very close”.

Olmert added that Israel “will definitely implement the project”, but did not set a date for starting it, adding that “such a move would only occur after consultations with the United States”.

“It is very clear and certain for Israel that it will create continuity between Jerusalem and Maali Adumim settlement”, he added, “There is no argument about that, at a certain point in the future Israel will create continuity between Jerusalem and Maali Adumim”, Olmert added.

Also, Olmert stated that the Israel will build a police station in the area, after it was approved by the government this week.

He clearly stated that this police station would help in what he described as “cracking down on illegal Palestinian building in the vicinity”.

“Palestinian construction there would prevent the realization of our plan in the future”, Olmert added.

Olmert also accused the P.A of not conducting enough efforts to implement the Road Map plan, adding that it should “crack down” on Palestinian resistance groups.

“They have the power to do so”, Olmert said, “But I don’t think they are doing that, the relative calm during the Gaza pullout proves that the P.A can achieve quiet when they want it”.