Housing and Construction Minister Ze'ev Boim on Friday dismissed Peace Now's criticism of a plan to build 100 new housing units in West Bank settlements, noting that the plan was aimed at providing an answer to the settlements' natural growth.
"Peace Now's ideology is not new, and from their point of view construction in Jerusalem, in its municipal boundaries, is also 'settlement building,'" Boim said, referring to Israel's largest anti-settlement group, which promotes a platform of land-for-peace.
The minister added: "The current construction is intended to provide an answer to the internal needs of natural growth."
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Boim spoke after the publication by his ministry on Friday of tenders for 48 new homes in the northern West Bank settlement of Ariel and 52 more in the settlement of Elkana.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the move on Friday, saying Israeli settlement expansion is a key obstacle to progress in peace talks.
Abbas told the Arab TV satellite station Al Arabiya on Friday that settlement "is an obstacle, a main obstacle."
He says it will become apparent by the summer whether a deal with Israel is possible.
Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that "these plans and resolutions, which really undermine the peace process," adding that Abbas would discuss the issue during White House talks with Bush next week.
Speaking of the plan, Boim also explained that "52 housing units in Elkana are switching out old housing units which were erected when the settlement was first established [some 25 years ago]."
According to the minister, the Defense Ministry approved the construction of the homes in Ariel months ago, which in any event are situated within already existing neighborhoods. Both areas are considered parts of the settlement "blocs" which Israel intends on holding on to in any final-status deal with the Palestinians.
Boim said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government never has promised to abstain from construction in the blocs.
The advertisement on Friday came just days after settlers and defense officials said new construction in the West Bank would be announced soon.
The building comes in return for the recent voluntary evacuation of two
unauthorized outposts that held less than ten mobile homes, the settlers and defense officials said.
The Peace Now movement fiercly attacked the construction plans. "The government is destroying the chances of reaching a settlment with the Palestinians and is turning Annapolis [conference] into an irrelevant joke," the group said, referring to a U.S.-hosted regional peace summit held last year in Maryland.
The Yesha Council of Settlements, meanwhile, has called on the government to approve constuction of 1,000 new housing units, rather than just the 100.
"Because of the housing crisis in many of the communities in Judea and Samaria, many of the younger generation are forced to find other housing," it said.
