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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 6, 2006
CONTACT: Noam Shelef - (202) 728-1893

Washington, D.C.-Americans for Peace Now strongly criticized today the Olmert Government's decision to permit massive expansion in West Bank settlements near Jerusalem and called on the Bush Administration to press Israel to reverse this decision. APN is a Jewish, Zionist organization dedicated to enhancing Israel's security through peace and to supporting the Israeli Peace Now movement.

"Any way you look at it, expanding Israeli settlements is bad policy, now more than ever, and a violation of the Road Map" said Debra DeLee, President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now. "President Bush should make it clear to Prime Minister Olmert that the U.S., which is considering extending the existing loan guarantee program for Israel as well as possibly other financial assistance to help Israel recover from the war with Hezbollah, strongly opposes this misguided decision."

"Expanding settlements, and particularly settlements near Jerusalem, will only strengthen extremists who argue that Israel has no intention of negotiating a mutually agreeable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that Israel wants to sever Jerusalem from the West Bank," DeLee went on to explain.

"Moreover, this decision is a slap in the face of the Israeli people and military. Today, Israelis are trying to recover from the economic costs of the war with Hezbollah, the Israeli military is emerging from a difficult conflict that has depleted its resources and demoralized its ranks, and the Israeli government is wrestling with plans for serious budget cuts and tax increases. In this context, it seems obvious that the Government of Israel should be focusing its funds and energies on meeting the urgent needs of all of its citizens and its military - not catering to the desires of the settlers and their political partisans.

"Instead of taking decisions that signal its intention to expand settlements, the Olmert Government should be signaling its willingness to negotiate land for peace."