Israel Says It Won't Demolish Gaza Homes

[Classical_Liberal]

Israel Says It Won't Demolish Gaza Homes


Thursday May 20, 2004 7:01 PM

By BARRY SCHWEID

AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - With President Bush's unflagging support for Israel in a sudden downward spiral, Israel has assured Secretary of State Colin Powell it will not demolish hundreds of Palestinian homes near the Gaza border with Egypt.

Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered the assurance in a meeting Tuesday with Powell at the State Department, a senior U.S. official said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

But even so, with Bush's approval the White House on Wednesday sharply criticized Israel's military operations in Gaza and permitted the U.N. Security Council to condemn the Jewish state.

According to an Israeli official's account, Olmert told Powell that Palestinian reports of Israel's purported plans to demolish hundreds of homes so as to widen a security corridor and prevent smuggling of weapons to terror groups had no factual basis.......

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4113001,00.html

[Classical_Liberal]

1. Not sure what to make of this story

Olmert says the intention to demolish homes is a myth, but we know they have already demolished a thousand in the past week. Why did the courts put a stay on the demolitions, if they weren't happening? Why did the courts approve of the demolitions if there was no intention to demolish homes?
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=22&ItemID=5544

I don't get it?