One day after the formal launch of peace talks, Israel insisted yesterday it had no plan to halt construction of settler homes in east Jerusalem, a major hurdle in peace efforts with the Palestinians.
“It is evident we will continue to build over the next two years in Gilo, Pisgat Zeev, French Hill,” Information Minister Yuli Edelstein told public radio in reference to Jewish settlements in annexed Arab east Jerusalem.
He did admit that a controversial plan to build 1,600 new homes in Ramat Shlomo, also in east Jerusalem, would not start for another two years, but stressed this followed normal planning procedures.
Announcing the start of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians on Sunday, Washington cited the delay in the east Jerusalem settlement as a confidence-building measure.
“Both parties are taking some steps to help create an atmosphere that is conducive to successful talks, including [Palestinian] president [Mahmud] Abbas’s statement that he will work against incitement of any sort and [Israeli] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that there will be no construction at the Ramat Shlomo project for two years,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.
Underscoring the deep mistrust between Israel and the Palestinians, he cautioned both sides they would be held accountable if they did anything to “seriously undermine trust.”
Israel promptly stressed in a statement that building and planning in Jerusalem will continue as usual, “exactly as has been the case for the past 43 years” and insisted it had not undertaken to freeze the Ramat Shlomo project.
The Palestinians quickly accused Israel of trying to undermine the process.
“The Israeli government must choose between peace and settlements,” said Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, for his part, insisted the municipality “continues to promote planning and construction throughout the city for all its residents — Jews, Christians and Muslims.”
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
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