Olmert and Livni were not informed about Est Jerusalem housing plan

     Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni were not informed of a decision to authorize the planning to build a new neighborhood at Atarot in the northern outskirts of Jerusalem. This is similar to the case, two weeks ago, in which a tender to expand a neighborhood at Har Homa was announced, about which neither the Prime Minister's Office nor the Foreign Ministry were informed in advance. Aides of Prime Minister Olmert were quick to point out that "this is only the initial stage and there is a long time before "construction begins." We do not believe that this [project] will actually be carried out," they added. A senior minister told Haaretz that while setting up a new neighborhood at Atarot is "a terrible idea at this time, I cannot see anyone going to live there." At the Foreign Ministry, where Livni heads the negotiations with the Palestinians, officials expected to be inundated with questions about the new neighborhood. However they said requests for information . (09,25)