Dr. Erekat slams Israeli expansion of Givat Ze’ev settlement as ''provocative action’’ meant to endanger the peace process

Less than a week after US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice visited the region to monitor progress in the peace process post-Annapolis, the Israeli government announced the renewal of construction of 750 housing units in the Givat Ze’ev settlement, just north of East Jerusalem. Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat condemned the announcement, stating that ''this is a provocative action by Israel that demonstrates its intention of further strengthening its illegal occupation and colonization of Palestinian territory.’’

Dr. Erekat noted that the timing of the decision is “outrageous” because ''on the eve of the trilateral meeting with the Americans, this expansion of illegal settlements on Palestinian land by Israel constitutes yet another slap in the face of the peace process.’’ Palestinians and Israelis are set to meet with Lt. Gen. William Fraser this week to discuss the parties’ performance of their obligations under the Road Map. Fraser was appointed by the US to head the trilateral mechanism agreed between the parties at Annapolis to monitor Road Map implementation. “One can only wonder about how seriously Israel is taking Lt. Gen. Fraser’s mandate and this whole process,” Dr. Erekat stated.

Citing the US’s roles as the judge of Road Map implementation, on behalf of the Quartet, and as the key peace broker, Dr. Erekat added: ''We strongly condemn this new expansion and call on the US administration and the Quartet members to act to get Israel to immediately revoke the decision in order to make the year 2008 a year of peace.’’ He concluded that ''East Jerusalem is the economic engine and cultural center of Palestine; there can be no viable Palestinian state without East Jerusalem as its capital.”