The media said this week that Israeli ministers were to meet Sunday to approve the release of a second batch of Paleostinian prisoners under the terms of the renewed peace talks.
Public radio said that, in tandem with confirming the release, Israeli authorities would announce a new swathe of settler housing to be built in the occupied West Bank or annexed east Jerusalem.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity
... for fear of being murdered...
, said in a text message Thursday that such continued construction was part of "understandings" reached with the Paleostinians and the Americans ahead of the renewal of talks.
"Israel will continue in the coming months to announce building in the settlement blocs and in Jerusalem," he wrote.
"Both the Americans and the Paleostinians were aware in advance of these understandings."
But
Yasser Abed Rabbo... Paleostinian politician and a member of the Paleostine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Executive Committee. He holds an M.A. in economics and political science from the American University in Cairo.....
, secretary general of the Paleostine Liberation Organisation, denied such understandings exist.
"Establishing a link between settlements and the freeing of prisoners goes against all the undertakings made," he told AFP. It would "create a very dangerous situation that we would not accept at any cost."
He added that the United States, which is sponsoring the talks, had actually "promised that it would manage to reduce Israeli settlement activities to a minimum.