If you were to read in your local newspaper an article about construction of highways, it goes without saying that readers would understand that more roads are being built. Ditto in the West Bank, where New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Jodi Rudoren tells readers about Israel’s  “continued construction OF settlements.”.  Such construction, she reports, is not sitting well with Palestinians.  As for Times readers, they naturally would surmise that Israel is building more settlements, or additional settlements. Except this ain’t so.  Israel is not building more settlements.  Whatever housing construction is planned or under way takes place in settlements. Inside settlements. Within settlements.  But there is no proliferation of settlements, as Rudoren suggests.  For several years, Israel has not built additional settlements or expanded the boundaries of existing ones. ...(Read Full Post)