LOC13:48
10:48 GMT
RAMALLAH, July 22 (KUNA) -- Israel is seeking to prevent the establishment
of a contiguous Palestinian state by devising a major plan to expand
settlement blocs,
The inclusion of Jordan Valley, northern Dead Sea and area surrounding
Ariel in 'settlement blocs' whose takeover the administration is advancing,
would prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state with territorial
contiguity, Israeli Haaretz reported.
The Israeli military's Civil Administration is taking steps to increase
state-ownership of West Bank lands, an internal military document reveals, it
said.
The policy enables increased construction not only around settlement blocs
like Ariel, Ma'aleh Adumim and Gush Etzion, but also in strategic areas like
the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea.
Until now it was not known that the administration, which is a military
agency, was charged with distinguishing between the blocs Israel is demanding
to annex as part of a final-status agreement and the rest of the settlements,
the paper said.
The document was written by Lt.Col. Zvi Cohen, head of the civil
administration's infrastructures department, in January. On the same day,
Cohen signed a procedure stipulating that the custodian of government property
is authorized to take possession of lands whose ownership is undefined. (end)
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