Israeli plan to enhance settlement in Jordan Valley, provocative marches in Jerusalem
Israeli reports disclosed yesterday a plan to be conducted at a cost of 95 million dollars to enhance settlement in the Jordan valley, while extremists Jews organized provocative marches in occupied Jerusalem to mark the anniversary of al-Haikal ( the temple ) destruction amid tough security measures taken by the Israeli police.
The Israeli daily Ma'ariv said that Sharon supports a project at a cost of 95 million to bring in more settlers to the Jordan valley in the West Bank. The paper added that the project, not ratified yet by the government, will provide houses for free for newly married couples if they promise to live four years at least in Jordan valley settlements. The paper also added that this project also provides a donation of 2700 dollars for newly married couple if they find a job in the area. Some 3,000 Israeli settlers are living in Wadi Araba, but this number decreased by 15% during the years of the Intifada.
For its part, the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot said that some 60 French Jews emigrants settled last Tuesday in several settlements of the West Bank in a secret operation. The paper explained that the said settlers arrived during night time and settled in Ofra, Elie, Koshaf, Yakof and Beit Eile settlements in the West Bank where they will study Hebrew for one year before they choose their final destination for stay. The paper indicated that only 120 French Jews settled in the settlements during 2002.
Meantime, the Israeli army detained during the past 24 hours 26 Palestinians, while releasing other 331 ones.
The Israeli radio said that the army detained on Wednesday in Arieha 18 members of the Palestinian security department because of "terrorist activities," while the Israeli forces arrested 8 Palestinians near Jenin and in the surrounding of Ramullah including three local officials in the Islamic Jihad movement.
Palestinian Minister of State for Security Affairs, Mohammad Dahlan, considered in a statement that releasing the Palestinian detainees on Wednesday proved that the Israeli government "is not serious in giving, at all, the peace process a push forward and behaves as if it is doing a favor for the Palestinians."