Palestinians see no clear signs of peacemaking in Jerusalem
According to the monitoring group, Peace Now, housing starts in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem continue despite PM Ehud Olmert's directive to desist. Peace Now reports, "In the four months since the Annapolis summit, which was intended to restart peace talks between Israel and Palestine, Israel issued tenders for the construction of 747 new housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. Plans for another 3,648 housing units were submitted to the public for objection, an important final stage of review before construction is approved."
Last Saturday, at the Arab summit in Damascus, Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel or scuppering efforts to establish a Palestinian state. He said, "Israel is continuing its aggression, its occupation, the construction of settlements and the Judaisation of Jerusalem."
