Maskiyot Settlement

Go HERE to read same day articles on this issue from the Israeli and international press

Washington, D.C. - Americans for Peace Now today criticized the construction of a new West Bank settlement. The construction was revealed as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to meet with President Barack Obama.

"Israel can't have it both ways," said Debra DeLee, APN's President and CEO. "Netanyahu can't come to Washington to talk peace while building a new settlement in the West Bank. Settlements are an obstacle to peace. The construction of this new settlement contradicts Israel's commitments and will be seen by many as a slap in the face to President Obama."

"Netanyahu can and should freeze all settlement construction," DeLee added.

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Israel for Washington yesterday, preparatory work started for the construction of a new settlement in the West Bank, called Maskiot in the Jordan Valley. Maskiyot's construction contradicts numerous commitments made by Israeli governments in recent years.

This new settlement is being built on the site of an abandoned Israeli military base, first constructed in 1982 and used by the IDF through 2002. Pressure by the Israeli Peace Now movement and the Bush Administration led the Israeli government to freeze previous plans to build a settlement at this location. On Sunday, Israeli contractors were taken on a tour of the Maskiyot site to prepare the construction of permanent housing units.

APN is the leading Jewish American organization dedicated to enhancing Israel's security through peace and to supporting the Israeli Peace Now movement. Together, Peace Now and APN serve as the most thorough and comprehensive resource for information and analysis on West Bank settlements.

To view our background and analysis of the Maskiyot project go to: http://peacenow.org/policy.asp?rid=&cid=5214