Here’s a new one.

Apparently, Olmert is feeling the pressure from Barak who is making easy-to-make announcements to show how much of a security hawk he is (not to mention that elections are around the corner).

So suddenly, Olmert is now telling Rice that building will continue in Jerusalem and the major settlement blocks, as under any agreement he forges, they will remain under Israeli sovereignty anyway.

Meanwhile, while there is some “new” construction going on, nothing seriously seems to have changed on the ground as many people and companies still await building permits they should have gotten years ago.

Of course, as he makes that statement, police are currently trying to destroy a foundation for caravans in a Settlement. I guess that makes him look busy.