THE Israeli government has quietly approved plans for the expansion of several West Bank settlements in the past few days. The decisions can only hinder intensive US efforts to save the Middle East peace process.
Mr David Bar-Illan, a spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed yesterday that some settlement growth has been approved. But he insisted that "nothing dramatic has happened" - and that "reports of thousands of new units suddenly being approved are incorrect".
Israeli media accounts indicate that government permission has been granted for the construction or completion of some 1,500 housing units at various West Bank settlements.
The government has also been advertising the tax breaks and, other preferential treatment afforded new arrivals at some settlements. This new activity is in addition to building work at Har Homa in East Jerusalem, where 6,500 homes are planned.
The Palestinian Education Minister Dr Hanan Ashrawi, yesterday demanded that Israel "cease all settlement activity" as a precondition for further peace negotiations.
By the same token, Israel is demanding that the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, cease any tacit encouragement for Islamic extremists to attack Israeli targets. Neither side seems to be taking a great deal of notice of the other.
After two weeks of clashes in the West Bank, and with the former Israeli prime minister, Mr Shimon Peres, now reportedly telling friends he fears the region is "on the eve of war", the US is desperately trying to find a way to restore calm.
Mr Netanyahu has been summoned to the White House, next Monday, and President Clinton is said by some diplomatic sources to be prepared to "go for broke"
to host intensive Israeli-Palestinian talks, designed to resolve all outstanding issues, in the hope of reaching a final peace settlement within six or eight months.
Given the gulf between the sides on central issues such as the status of Jerusalem, rights of refugees, Palestinian statehood and more, it is a measure of US desperation that Mr Clinton is willing to entertain even the notion of accelerated talks.
Israel announced yesterday that it was no longer seeking the extradition of a Hamas leader currently held in New York, Mr Mousa Abu Marzook, apparently out of fear of provoking further Hamas violence.
Agencies add:
Washington yesterday welcomed Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's apparent willingness to meet Mr Netanyahu to restart the peace process.
"We want them to be in dialogue," the White House spokesman, Mr Michael McCurry, said. "We think that's very important to the resolution of the issues that confront the parties immediately and of course to the continued momentum that must exist for the peace process itself."
Asked whether US pressure had affected Mr Arafat's decision, McCurry said "we've obviously encouraged them to continue their dialogue."
But he said it was premature to speculate on a date.
Mr Netanyahu will meet King Hussein of Jordan in the US on Sunday, an Israeli embassy spokesman said yesterday. The king is to undergo prostate surgery at the weekend in Rochester, Minnesota.
The meeting comes on the eve of Mr Netanyahu's talks with Mr Clinton who said on Tuesday after meeting the king that he had some "new ideas" on how to advance the Middle East peace process.