Israel approves $20 million for settlements

[La_Serpiente]

Israel approves $20 million for settlements
Funding agreed despite Sharon's calls to evacuate some areas

JERUSALEM - A parliamentary committee has approved more than $20 million in new funding for Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, despite Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s recent calls to evacuate parts of these areas.

The decision Monday by the Finance Committee outraged the Palestinians as well as opposition legislators. It also threatened to complicate a visit this week by senior U.S. diplomats, who are to arrive to discuss peace efforts with Sharon.

Sharon has recently called for Israel to unilaterally separate from the Palestinians if peace efforts fail. He has proposed a pullout from virtually all of the Gaza Strip as well as isolated settlements in the West Bank.

Although Israel hasn’t carried out any of these steps, talk of abandoning settlements has alarmed Sharon’s hawkish coalition partners. On Tuesday, a hard-line partner proposed that Israel turn over Arab towns inside Israel to Palestinian control in exchange for Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

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Israel approves $20 million for settlements