Israeli rail line plan draws criticism

Occupied Jerusalem: A new Israeli plan for a train line linking central Israel to colonies deep in the West Bank drew criticism yesterday from Palestinians already angry over Israel's refusal to meet their demand for a full halt to colony construction.

The line is supposed to run from the suburbs of Tel Aviv to the northern West Bank — an area where Israel's presence is not internationally recognised and which Palestinians want as part of their future state.

The new project comes as relations between the Israeli and Palestinian governments are growing more sour, with the sides unable to agree even on the conditions that would allow them to resume talking to each other.

Talks collapse

Direct talks between the sides officially resumed at the White House in September but collapsed weeks later after an Israeli freeze on colony construction expired. The Palestinians say they will not resume negotiations without an explicit Israeli commitment not to build in occupied East Jerusalem, as well as in the rest of the West Bank, a condition the Israelis have refused to meet.

Israeli Transport Ministry spokesman Ilan Leizerovich said the new train line is currently only in the planning stage, along with other train lines, including some in the West Bank, and that there are no plans to actually begin work. The local daily Maariv reported that Israel Railways has budgeted $820,000 (Dh3.01 million) to plan the line.