West Bank Construction

Once again, an Israeli Prime Minister is authorizing West Bank construction to appease an element of the Israeli right:

"Olmert agreed to thaw out a number of the frozen construction permits after Shas threatened last week to abstain from the no-confidence vote against the government. The vote was held in the Knesset Monday.

"Two weeks ago Shas leaders Eli Yishai and Ariel Atias warned that the party would not support the government in the no-confidence vote unless the construction was authorized."

If the peace process falters, as seems inevitable, the new housing will still be there, and the two-state solution will be even harder to achieve.