Israel sets out major settlement blueprint

RAMALLAH, July 22 (KUNA) -- Israel is seeking to prevent the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state by devising a major plan to expand settlement blocs, The inclusion of Jordan Valley, northern Dead Sea and area surrounding Ariel in 'settlement blocs' whose takeover the administration is advancing, would prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state with territorial contiguity, Israeli Haaretz reported.
The Israeli military's Civil Administration is taking steps to increase state-ownership of West Bank lands, an internal military document reveals, it said. The policy enables increased construction not only around settlement blocs like Ariel, Ma'aleh Adumim and Gush Etzion, but also in strategic areas like the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea.
Until now it was not known that the administration, which is a military agency, was charged with distinguishing between the blocs Israel is demanding to annex as part of a final-status agreement and the rest of the settlements, the paper said.
The document was written by Lt.Col. Zvi Cohen, head of the civil administration's infrastructures department, in January. On the same day, Cohen signed a procedure stipulating that the custodian of government property is authorized to take possession of lands whose ownership is undefined.

Israel sets out major settlement blueprint