TEL AVIV, February 1, 2009 (WAFA)- Israel has invested close to NIS 200 million during the past two years in preparing infrastructure for construction of housing units to create a contiguous block between Ma'aleh Adumim and East Jerusalem, Haaretz Israeli Daily said.

The neighborhood of Mevaseret Adumim, slated to be built on Area A1, has so far not been built because of strong American opposition. However the construction of a police base in May 2008 opened a window for massive construction in the area, Haaretz added.

“It is doubtful all this construction was meant to serve several hundred policemen and civilians traveling to the headquarters daily,” the paper commented, “the building of the police station, which was done with all required permits, appears to have been a necessary stage in the 'claiming' of A1 ahead of constructing residential neighborhoods there.”

'Ma'aleh Adumim is an inalienable part of Jerusalem and the State of Israel in any permanent settlement,' read a statement from the office of the Israeli Army Minister Ehud Barak quoted by Haaretz. 'A1 is a corridor that connects Ma'aleh Adumim to Mount Scopus and therefore it is important for it to remain part of the country. This is the position of Labor since Yitzhak Rabin and also of the government of Barak in 1999, and the Americans know this position.'

However, the recent visit to Israel of George Mitchell, the former Senator returning for another turn as special U.S. envoy to the Middle East, was described in Israel as having been 'not too bad.'

According to Haaretz, Mitchell opted not to begin his new mission with a direct confrontation with his hosts. But the Israeli leadership understands clearly that it will be difficult to benefit from such leniency with the Obama administration for very long after the elections. Some of the potential points of tension between Israel and the United States were put in place during the tenure of the Kadima-Labor government.

“The other side of the coin, of course,” the paper stated, “is that this sort of contiguity will prevent Palestinian construction between East Jerusalem to Ramallah, and will make it difficult to reach agreement between Israel and the Palestinians on the question of permanent borders. This is why the U.S. has strongly opposed this sort of Israeli construction for more than a decade. Israeli governments have avoided construction in this area, mostly because of U.S. pressure.”

'Ma'aleh Adumim will remain part of the State of Israel in any future peace agreement,' a spokesman from the office of Kadima chair Livni said. 'Any relevant issue will be discussed as part of the negotiations.'