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| Israel rules out immediate dismantling of settlements despite US anger
JERUSALEM, Nov 17 (AFP) - Israel on Monday ruled out any immediate dismantling of Jewish settlements despite growing US pressure and a charge by a watchdog that there were now more than 100 settlement outposts in the West Bank. Israel is obliged to dismantle all outposts under the terms of the US-backed Middle East "roadmap" peace plan which also stipulates a complete freeze on settlement activity. Serious business, investment and technology intelligence for a serious advantage - BizVantage! But a senior official travelling with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Italy said that "dismantling a settlement at this stage without first ensuring that calm is restored with the Palestinians would be seen as a reward for terrorism. " The Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now earlier released a report saying that there were now 103 settlement outposts dotted around the West Bank. Five out of eight of the outposts which were dismantled in a wave of publicity last summer after the "roadmap" was launched in the Jordanian resort of Aqaba have also since been rebuilt, the group said. The Israeli official merely said that the outposts would be dismantled "at the opportune time." "There is a time for everything and these (outpost) settlements will be dismantled, at the opportune time, if it is confirmed that they have effectively been built without permission," he said. Israeli military radio reported Monday that US-Israeli relations were reaching "crisis point", citing unnamed US officials who said there was growing anger not only over the settlement activity but the route of the controversial barrier being built by Israel along the West Bank. The Palestinians see the barrier, which at times cuts deep into their land, as an attempt to pre-empt the borders of any future state for them, although the Israelis insist it is merely designed to prevent infiltrations by would-be Palestinian attackers. The Israeli official confirmed that the US had expressed its anger over the settlements but played down the extent of the disagreement. "There has been a disagreement over a long time on this question with Washington, but the media has exaggerated its importance," he said. "What matters to the United States is that Israel does not provoke an escalation of violence and we agreed on that." He ruled out the notion that the disagreement would lead to a diplomatic crisis between Israel and its biggest ally on the issue "particularly at a time when the two countries are fighting terrorism." Peace Now chief Yariv Oppenheimer told AFP the government was allowing existing outposts to be transformed into permanent settlements. "The new government policy of the last few months no longer consists of allowing the establishment of outposts but to develop existing" ones, supplying them with electricity and building access roads. The Israeli government announced late last month that it was granting "legal" status to eight outposts in the West Bank. Officials said that the decision meant the outposts could now obtain grants for education and infrastructure projects, such as lighting, as well as protection by security forces. Israel's infrastructure ministry also invited tenders last month for the building of 323 new apartments in the West Bank, including 143 apartments at Karnei Shomron settlement in the heart of the West Bank. The continuing settlement activity has prompted accusations from the Palestinians that the Israelis are killing off the "roadmap" and the chances of a two-state solution to the conflict. All settlements built in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories are deemed contrary to international law. jlr-ms/co/dab Mideast-Israel-settlements
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