I happened to see a big headline on Yahoo News just now about how the government of Israel is building "settlements" again. I read the article (which came from the French News Agency) and learned that Israel had asked for bids for construction of 85 housing units at Givat Zaev. The article calls that neighborhood a "settlement" which it says is "immediately south" of the Palestinian city of Ramallah.
Here are the actual facts: The housing units in question are for construction of apartments in a neighborhood of greater Jerusalem. Once built, the apartments will be less than three miles from the building housing the Israeli parliament. There are already close to 20,000 Israelis who live in Givat Zaev, so adding 85 homes will make little difference to the population. The land where the construction will take place is owned by Israelis. Lastly, Givat Zaev is one of those areas that both Israel and the Palestinians have agreed in the past will stay part of Israel if there is ever a separate Palestinian state established.
None of these facts are included in the "news report" about the request for bids for construction of the homes. Indeed, from the article on Yahoo News, one would think that Israel was going to some large Palestinian city and starting some new settlement to displace the current residents. Why can't the media tell the truth?
Here are the actual facts: The housing units in question are for construction of apartments in a neighborhood of greater Jerusalem. Once built, the apartments will be less than three miles from the building housing the Israeli parliament. There are already close to 20,000 Israelis who live in Givat Zaev, so adding 85 homes will make little difference to the population. The land where the construction will take place is owned by Israelis. Lastly, Givat Zaev is one of those areas that both Israel and the Palestinians have agreed in the past will stay part of Israel if there is ever a separate Palestinian state established.
None of these facts are included in the "news report" about the request for bids for construction of the homes. Indeed, from the article on Yahoo News, one would think that Israel was going to some large Palestinian city and starting some new settlement to displace the current residents. Why can't the media tell the truth?
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