The idea of making an industrial park for Jerusalem in the area of Ma'ale Adumim had been circulating for some years and in August 1974, Yisrael Galili, a major presence in the settlement project who together with Meir Zorea had strong connections with Gush Emunim , aired the idea of settling it. He had privately offered it as a recompense for settlers who had attempted to establish themselves in Sebastia, only to be rebuffed when that group refused to compromise. The links with Gush Emunim attested to a growing impact of Religious Zionist ideology on Israel's developing policies regarding the Palestinian territories. It is thought that the agreement to develop an industrial zone for Jerusalem there was the result of a deal struck, between the National Religious Party and the government of Yitzhak Rabin as part of a bargain struck between members of the coalition government, for which the green light was given on 24 November 1975. In terms of government strategy, this was a response, creating facts on the ground, to the Rabat Summit decision in Morocco in October to recognize the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian people, with a latter decision to permit 25 residential units to house 100 settlers/workers.