Secret plan to compensate the Israeli settlers in the Golan
Syria-Israel, Politics, 12/31/1998

The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot said on Tuesday that the Israeli authorities had launched a secret operation to estimate the sums that should be paid to Israeli settlers in compensation in case Israel returns the Golan Heights to the Syrians.

This operation which was called "mango" was launched in collaboration with main officials responsible for the settlements four years ago under the Labor Party government chaired by the late Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin. The operation also continued under the governments of former Labor Premier Shimon Peres and the current Likud Premier Benjamin Netanyahu.

The paper added that preliminary estimates of the value of houses, lands and companies is estimated at US $2.4 billion. One of the officials responsible for the settlers, Ehuda Wallmann, stressed that the plan is real. He told Israeli radio, "I took part in this operation on the grounds of my conviction that this issue should be dealt with calmly."

Former Israeli finance minister from the Labor Party Abraham Shouhat also acknowledged the operation. The paper reported that officials in the Finance Ministry meet regularly to correct the estimates, according to developments of conditions on the ground, taking into consideration the new building. The paper added that the last meeting held for this purpose was three months ago in a Tel Aviv hotel.

Some 15,000 Israeli settlers live in the Syrian Golan Heights, occupied by Israel in 1967.

Previous Stories:
  Report: Netanyahu agrees to withdraw from most parts of the Golan   (12/26/1998)
  Israel clings to Golan occupation   (12/22/1998)
  On annexation decision anniversary, Golan people on general strike   (12/16/1998)

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