Bush Administration Blasts Israel’s Plans For New Jordan Valley Community

The Bush administration has issued an unambiguous condemnation of Israeli plans to create the first new Jewish community in post-1967 territory in more than a decade. Israel said this week that the community of Masiot would house some 30 families that were forced to abandon their homes in the Gaza Strip when Israel unilaterally withdrew last year. Israeli officials apparently hoped that, because the location for the new town is a former Israeli army base, it could circumvent Israel‘s promise to refrain from building on post-1967 territory. State Department spokesman Gonzalo R. Gallegos made it clear on Wednesday that the Israeli plans were a violation of its commitment under the Road Map peace plan. Gallegos said the U.S. was "seeking an explanation from the Israeli government regarding this development."