U.S. Demand for Settlement Freeze Includes East Jerusalem Neighborhoods

By JTA June 24, 2009

The U.S. demand for a settlement freeze includes Jewish neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem, according to the State Department.

“We’re talking about all settlement activity, yes, in the area across the line,” said State Department spokesman Ian Kelly, in response to a question from the Jerusalem Post about the parameters of settlement stoppage the United States wants from Israel. Kelly’s usage of the term “the line” refers to the Green Line, or pre-1967 armistice border.

Israel does not consider eastern Jerusalem part of the West Bank, although the international community does call housing in that area settlements. Top Israeli government officials told the Post that they were working under the assumption that the U.S. call to halt all settlement growth, including natural growth, did not include Jerusalem.

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