A move timed to placate settlers and other hardline critics of its new agreement with the Palestinians, the Israeli government yesterday took out newspaper advertisements inviting bids from construction firms to build homes at Har Homah, on the disputed southern outskirts of Jerusalem.
The advertisements referred to the planned construction of 1,025 houses at the site, which Israel insists falls within the municipal boundaries of its capital, Jerusalem, but which the Palestinians regard as occupied West Bank territory. In March 1997, when Israel sent bulldozers to begin clearing the site, the Palestinians suspended peace negotiations in protest.
The advertisements were greeted with anger by Palestinian officials, who warned of a "serious response" if building work actually got under way.
The Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, has promised repeatedly that homes will be ready at Har Homah by the year 2000. However, yesterday's apparent reinforcement of that commitment, along with a government pledge to continue the expansion of West Bank settlements, is not sparing him the wrath of the settlers and their political champions, who are furious with him and his government for approving the Wye summit peace deal.
It remains unclear whether hardline politicians will try, or will be able, to bring down the Netanyahu coalition and force new elections. And even if they do, Mr Netanyahu is well placed to secure re-election, since a strong majority of Israelis are backing the Wye deal.
Though angered by the Har Homah advertisements, the Palestinians are delighted that the Israeli government has finally approved the new accord, under which Israel will relinquish another 13 per cent of the West Bank.
The Palestinian Authority President, Mr Yasser Arafat, is reportedly willing to meet a new Israeli demand for a formal public vote to repeal sections of the PLO Covenant, and is also said to be indicating a new readiness to delay a planned declaration of independent Palestinian statehood beyond next May.
The Israeli cabinet yesterday approved the confiscation of dozens of hectares of land belonging to Palestinians near the West Bank town of Hebron for the construction of roads for Jewish settlements.