[Jerusalem Post] Tovah Lazaroff, Herb Keinon, and Gil Hoffman - Prime Minister Olmert on Sunday approved a 750-unit project for a new neighborhood in Givat Ze'ev just north of Jerusalem, a project that had been frozen due to violence at the start of the second intifada in 2000. Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said, "No one should be surprised, because we have been up-front, consistent and very public that we did not commit to any settlement freeze in the large settlement blocs." Givat Ze'ev, with a current population of around 10,000, is five km. from Jerusalem. Regev said reversing a decision made in 1999 to build the project, which has been in the hands of the private sector for almost a decade, could have cost the state NIS 1.5 billion. The state had already invested millions in infrastructure, including roads to the site. Construction and Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim said the project would help ease the housing crunch in the Jerusalem area.
2008-03-11 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive