Israel Matzav

Ulpana expulsion deal close?

The government is close to a deal that would see the 30 families resident in the Ulpana neighborhood in Beit El leave their homes voluntarily in exchange for the construction of ten new buildings (double the existing five) with 30 apartments each. That would be a total of 300 new apartments, ten times the number being destroyed.

Beit El Chief Rabbi Zalman Melamed said Monday evening that a deal on the voluntary evacuation of five homes in the settlement's Ulpana neighborhood was imminent.

Melamed, who has been negotiating with the government on behalf of the neighborhood's residents, said all activity surrounding the settlement will be frozen for the next 24 hours, adding that the agreement, if finalized, would include "significant achievements" for the settlers.

...

According to the agreement, 10 apartment buildings consisting of 30 units each will be built in Beit El. The buildings will be constructed on the grounds of a Border Guard base situated at the entrance to the settlement. The base will be evacuated.

A leader of the teenagers who planned to resist the evacuation said in response to the agreement, "We are very angry. If it's true – we were sold out.

"They are doing to us exactly what they did to Gush Katif (in Gaza) and Migron. We haven’t learned anything," he told Ynet Monday night.

I'll believe that those buildings will be built when I see it. I can't believe any government with Ehud Barak having a veto over 'settlement construction' is actually going to build 300 apartments in Beit El.

Forgive my cynicism. I've seen too much here.

Labels: Beit El, Ehud Barak, Judea and Samaria construction

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:27 AM