Gush Emunim to Set Up 10 New West Bank Settlements During Passover Gov’t. Officials Surprised by Mov

The Gush Emunim announced last night that they would establish 10 new settlements on the West Bank over the Passover holidays to “create unerasable facts during this period of confusion at home and pressure abroad.” The announcement took many government officials by surprise inasmuch as the Cabinet is not known to have approved the settlements.

Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan, addressing senior officials of his ministry here Monday, had urged Israel to go slow on settlement activity on the West Bank out of consideration for Egyptian sensitivity on the subject. But Minister of Transport Haim Landau, a Likud hardliner who was one of the two Cabinet ministers to vote against the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty last month, appeared to confirm the Gush announcement and gave it his blessings. He told a luncheon of the Tel Aviv Insurance Club this afternoon that 10 settlements would be set up in Judaea and Somaria and other regions during the chol hamoed days of Passover, adding “let them grow in numbers.”

Deputy Premier Yigael Yadin immediately issued a statement saying he knew of no government decision to start new settlements now or during Passover.

It was reported, meanwhile, that the Gush plans were approved by Agriculture Minister-Ariel Sharon, another outspoken opponent of the peace treaty, and by the Jewish Agency’s settlement department. However, for the time being, the Gush must limit itself to cornerstone-laying ceremonies and the several hundred would-be settlers expected to participate must avoid clashes with local Arabs and with the Israeli troops sent to guard them.

On the strength of Sharon’s approval, the West Bank Military Government reportedly issued permits for the cornerstone ceremonies during Passover week. Landau refused to say precisely where these will take place or on what date. “For me it is enough to know there will be such settlements, he told the insurance executives.

SEEKS TO AVOID PROVOCATION

Dayan’s remarks earlier in the week seemed intended to avoid any provocative actions by Israel so soon after the signing of its treaty with Egypt and on the eve of negotiations to implement the treaty. He said that while settlement activity on the West Bank must continue, if a settlement program is carried out it should not harm Israeli-Egyptian relations. He cautioned that Israel must remain aware of the Egyptian attitude on settlements and take it into account.

The settlements need not be implemented immediately, Dayan said, noting that it will take another year to negotiate with Egypt over autonomy on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and another five years will elapse before the future status of those territories is determined.

Meanwhile, Minister of Commerce and Industry Gideon Patt fiercely attacked both the Gush plans and their approval by Landau. Speaking on Israel Radio this afternoon Patt stressed that there was no government decision to establish any new settlements on the West Bank and that Landau spoke only for himself.

“I participated in all Cabinet sessions and I did not hear of any decision to erect any new settlements,” he said. He said most Cabinet members were also unaware of any cornerstone-laying next week. “The government deals with settlements one-by-one. We have never taken a global approach to settlements.” In any event, “the timing is wrong. I believe in strengthening the existing settlements. There is so much to do with-out taking valueless, demonstrative steps like this,” he declared.