Israel OKs Plan to Expand Settlements

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel has approved a plan to spend at least $56 million to expand settlements on the occupied Golan Heights, sending mixed messages ahead of possible peace talks with Syria, officials said Wednesday.

The decision came as a member of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party was reportedly preparing to travel to Damascus to look into President Bashar Assad's recent call for the renewal of negotiations.

Several Israeli officials told Israeli media Wednesday the expansion plan was set in October, before Assad initiated his offer in a New York Times interview in mid-December. One high-ranking official told The Associated Press that Sharon hoped to resume peace talks with Syria.

But hard-line Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz, who initiated the expansion, said there was ``no dialogue'' with the Syrians and that Israel sought to increase its population in the Golan Heights to strengthen its hold there ahead of any talks.

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3570955,00.html

[Saudade]

1. Hopefully

Hopefully, this will put an end to all that talk about "peace"!

[Bandit]

3. Whaaaa???

An end to peace. Ya that's the ticket.:crazy: Richard Pearle is that you?

[Saudade]

5. Sarcasm

Sarcasm to emphasize that whenever a remote sliver of hope enters the picture, Sharon will blast it out of the water with new settlements, assasinations, etc.

[GRClarkesq]

2. Israel perceives the younger Assad as weak so they will push

n/t

[bemildred]

4. Better extend the "piece fence" up that way too.

[Junkdrawer]

6. Is that "peace fence" or "piece-at-a-time fence" ?? n/t