By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
The Israeli decision to move ahead on a plan to build in Area E-1 has raised many people's ire. Some supporters of Israel are asking: Why spit in the face of your ally, the United States?
The US did everything it could to avoid the UN vote on Palestinian which would change the status of the PA to that of observer.
Nothing else could have been done to prevent the resolution on the floor of the General Assembly.
What is E-1?
It is an area of about 4.6sq miles that abuts Maalei Adumim and is called Maveseret Adumim. It is the area that would connect Maalei Adumim to Jerusalem. It is an area that runs next to several Arab villages including Abu Dis and Isawiyah.
In the 1950's the Jahalin Bedouins were relocated from the Negev near Tel Arad to what is now known as Area E-1 because the area was necessary for military and defense use. In 1994 then Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin officially made E-1 part of Maaleh Adumim. In 2008 a multimillion dollar regional police headquarters was completed there.
Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert and Bibi Netanyahu have all wanted to implement construction in E-1. For Barak and Olmert the idea was two-fold. It was a check to Arab development that was going east and it enabled a road which would bypass Jerusalem going from Bethlehem to Ramallah on the other side of Maalei Adumim.
These plans were discussed in the Taba Talks. At the time the Bush administration forced Israel to desist from pursuing the plans because it would be seen as inflammatory and destructive to the peace process.
So, yes. Israel's decision to advance the E-1 plan is spitting in the face of the United States.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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