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Journalism of Courage
UNITED NATIONS, DEC 1: Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat has accused Israel of 8220;expropriating8221; Palestinian lands and asked Tel Aviv to put an immediate halt to its settlement activities 8220;intended to Judaize occupied land.8221;
In a message on the occasion of International Solidarity Day with the Palestinian People, he expressed the hope that the independent state of Palestine would be declared and made a reality.
Arafat hoped that Israel would honour its obligations so that negotiations on the final status might be resumed 8220;in an atmosphere of trust, mutual understanding and respect.8221; Meanwhile, Israel has authorised construction of 480 homes in the Jewish settlement of Kochav Yaacov, more than tripling the size of the West Bank enclave, officials said today. The Israeli housing ministry approved new construction yesterday at the same time that the Palestinian legislative council issued a call for Palestinians to fight the expansion of Jewish settlements 8220;by all means.8221;
Moshe Friedman, thespokesman for the housing ministry, said 230 of the new housing units were already under construction in Kochav Yaacov and infrastructure was being prepared for a further 250. 8220;The units are in a new neighborhood that is within the settlement8217;s outline plan,8221; Friedman told AFP.
While the construction itself is being privately financed, the state is helping fund infrastructure work since the government earlier declared West Bank settlements 8220;national priority8221; development areas. The Palestinian Authority charges that continued building in Jewish settlements violates peace accords with Israel, including the Wye River land-for-security deal signed in October and which prohibits 8220;unilateral actions8221; that change the status of the occupied territories.
