Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon stated on Monday that there would be no more evacuation of settlements following the implementation of Israel's Gaza withdrawal plan. Referring to the expansion of West Bank settlements, Sharon added, " There’s no need to talk, we need to build, and we’re building without talking (about it.)” The Israeli Prime Minister also added that “Jerusalem is Israel’s capital forever.”
Israeli media sources stated that despite denial on the part of Sharon's office, West Bank settlement officials stated that they had received authorization to construct 3,000 additional housing units. The construction of an additional 117 housing units in the West Bank settlement of Ariel was approved by Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, according to reports late Monday evening.
Sharon made the announcements at a meeting on Monday of his Likud party, in which he stressed that he would remain party leader despite challenges by former Israeli prime minister and current Finance Minster Binyamin Netanyahu.
In three weeks Likud's central committee is scheduled to meet and decide on Sharon's future in the party.
Hamas blames Israel for mysterious Gaza bombing
Meanwhile, the death toll in an explosion which rocked a house in the Gaza City suburb of Al-Shejaeia on Monday evening rose to five. An estimated 35 Palerstinians were also wounded in the blast. The house belonged to Nidal Farhat, a senior member of Hamas' military wing, The AP reported.
Eyewitnesses reported that one home was detroyed and three others damaged heaviliy in the explosion. Many are stilled believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Hamas has placed blame on Israel for the incident, charging that an Israeli missile hit the house. Munir al-Masri, a spokesman for the organization, accused Israel of continuing its “dirty assassination policy, which gives us the right to respond and to defend ourselves.”
Israeli officials have denied any connection to the explosion, which they claim occured in the process of Hamas members handling explosives which detonated prematurely.
Palestinian Authority officials on Tuesday also confirmed reports that the blast was caused by mishandling of explosives on the part of Hamas. "According to our investigation and eyewitness accounts," PA spokeman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa told reporters on Tuesday, "what happened in Shajaiya was an internal explosion resulting from a fire in a house due to an error during the making of explosives."
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told reporters of Ramattan that "investigations are going on to reveal the cause of the explosion." Abbas offered his condolences to families of the victims.
© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
