DATE=4/13/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ISRAEL - GOLAN UPDATE (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261288
BYLINE=JENNY BADNER
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Israel has lifted a freeze on public
construction in the occupied Golan Heights. Jenny
Badner in Jerusalem reports, the Israeli government
says the move is the result of the stalemate in efforts
to work out a comprehensive peace with Syria.
TEXT: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak says his
government has approved the construction of new
economic and tourist projects in the Golan Heights.
Speaking at a news conference, Mr. Barak said it is
natural to resume development in the Golan Heights.
/// BARAK HEBREW ACT FADES UNDER ///
Mr. Barak said the door is left with a very small crack
of possibilities for the renewal of talks with Syria.
The plans, which have been held up for several months
because of peace talks with Syria, were given the green
light just days after Israel approved the construction
of 200 new homes in the Golan Heights.
A spokeswoman for the Golan Residents Committee, Marla
Van Meter, says the residents always wanted the area to
be able to grow naturally, regardless of peace talks
with Syria.
/// FIRST VAN METER ACT ///
We're all thrilled with the fact that these
projects, which have already been approved during
the past few years and have lately been frozen,
are now unfrozen and will move forward. We're
talking tens of millions of sheckels, every
project has its own set sum but when you're
talking about neighborhoods being built and
infrastructure, tourism, you're talking about
large sums of money of course.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Van Meter says settlement and tourism in the Golan
Heights declined since talks resumed.
/// SECOND VAN METER ACT ///
There's no doubt that there was such a cloud of
uncertainty that that kept a larger number of
people going here, and we also hope the Golan
will be off the negotiation table completely and
that we can really set behind us these dark dark
years that we have endured being a political
volleyball.
/// END ACT ///
Gaby Lasky is the director of Peace Now, an
organization that opposes the Israeli settlement in the
Golan Heights, the West Band and Gaza Strip.
Ms. Lasky says it is a mistake to allow the Golan
residents to continue to expand.
/// LASKY ACT ///
We want to leave the window of opportunity open
towards the Syrian peace process and we don't
know who is going to benefit by this kind of
building. I want to believe that Prime Minister
Barak still believes there is a possibility to
bring peace with Syria.
/// END ACT ///
Peace talks with Syria have been deadlocked over
demands by Damascus that Israel withdraw completely
from the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured by
Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.
A summit between President Clinton and Syrian leader
Hafez al-Assad last month in Geneva failed to restart
the peace talks.
About 17,000 Israelis currently live on the Golan
Heights. (Signed)
NEB/JB/gm
13-Apr-2000 15:37 PM EDT (13-Apr-2000 1937 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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