Building talks frozen

All discussions over new construction in Jerusalem have been frozen, according to reports. Meetings of the interior ministry’s regional planning and building committee have been postponed until a management committee to co-ordinate among government ministries on the construction has been established, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The statement followed the approval March 23 of 20 new Jewish homes on the site of the Shepherd Hotel in east Jerusalem. The approval came just hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House. The Shepherd Hotel, located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, was purchased in 1985 by Irving Moskowitz, a Jewish-American billionaire, for $1 million (US). In a March 24 statement, the Jerusalem Municipality noted that the plan for the site was approved in July 2009, at which time it received a great deal of media attention. The approval, however, was contingent on the payment of certain fees, which were paid on March 15, at which time the local planning councils approval became final. Construction can begin immediately.

Israeli wines win

Seven Israeli wines were recognized in the Bacchus International Wine Competition in Madrid. The ninth edition of the prestigious competition, organized by the Spanish Tasting Union, was held March 12-16 at the Casino de Madrid and attracted more than 80 wine-tasting experts from around the world. Seven Israeli wineries competed with veteran participants from Australia, Chile, France, Italy and Germany, and with others from emerging winemaking countries such as Canada and Brazil. The Israeli brands won four Gold Bacchus awards and three Silver Bacchus awards.

Peres meets Iranian dissident

Israeli President Shimon Peres met with the fiancé of the late Neda Soltan, whose brutal murder during the 2009 Iranian election protests became a symbol for the opposition. “I came to Israel as an ambassador of the Iranian people, as a messenger from the camp of peace,” Caspian Makin told Peres during their meeting Monday. Makin had requested the meeting, Peres’ office said. “Neda was a progressive person, a freedom fighter, and these traits flowed through her veins. She loved people with every small inch of her soul. Before her murder we spoke a lot about her goals, and we both knew the danger,” Makin told Peres. Soltan’s killing by Iranian soldiers attempting to quell a protest was caught on video and seen on the Internet and TV around the world. “You can murder a person, but not a spirit,” Peres told Makin. “I am glad you gave me the opportunity to express my condolences for your great tragedy, and also mention my great hope for the future.”

Clashes at Gaza fence

Israel Defence Forces soldiers shot and killed two Palestinians near the Gaza security fence as they tried to place an explosive device near the border, Palestinian news agencies reported last Friday. The reports said heavy crossfire took place between soldiers and Palestinians near the Kissufim crossing east of Khan Yunis, during which the Palestinians were killed. Earlier in the week, an Israeli soldier was killed by friendly fire on the Gaza border after the IDF received a report of three Palestinians who had crossed the border fence.
– JTA and Ha’aretz