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Last update - 14:14 11/05/2009
'Israel is quietly expelling young settler couples from West Bank'
By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israe News, West Bank, Yesha 

The head of the municipal council of West Bank settlements accused the government on Monday of indirectly causing the "expulsion" of young Israelis from the territories.

"Every year all over Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) there is a quiet expulsion of thousands of young couples who are forced to leave their communities due to a lack of housing and budget freezes that have continued for years courtesy of Israel's governments," said Danny Dayan, the head of the Yesha council of settlements.

Dayan and other municipal leaders convened a press conference in Jerusalem on Monday where they cited figures which they claim are the result of the government's freeze on settlement expansion.
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Dayan argued that the news media and left-wing groups paint a false picture alleging that construction in settlements is continuing apace. In reality, the near complete freeze on building in the territories has pushed some 1,600 young couples - out of the 2,100 couples who marry each year in the West Bank - to live in communities far from their parents and the towns in which they grew up.

Dayan and settler leaders demanded that the Netanyahu government alter this policy, as the prime minister vowed he would do during his election campaign. They accused political officials of "littering Netanyahu's road to Washington with distorted facts that are completely contrary to the reality on the ground."

"Shimon Peres told [President Barack] Obama that it is inconceivable that there won't be anywhere to live for children born in Judea and Samaria, and that it is impossible to put them on the roofs," Dayan said. "That's all fine and good, but in reality, they really have no place to live."

"Most of the parties who make up this coalition promised to put an end to the freeze policy of the Olmert and Sharon governments, but a senior official in the defense ministry told us that from his standpoint there were no elections and that in practice the reality has no changed," said Yesha director-general Pinhas Wallerstein. "In order to transport a caravan or to seal off a balcony or to add a room, today what is required is authorization from the defense minister. This is an abnormal situation, and when everything is verboten, then everything is allowed.
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  1.   nonesense article 14:00  |  Yosef Abarbanel 11/05/09
  2.   Illegal settlers 14:03  |  Sam Soul 11/05/09
  3.   The very first good and enlightened deed... 14:11  |  Esther 11/05/09
  4.   SSOUL thats not what Pals want to celebrate 16:33  |  PETER SM 11/05/09
  5.   With Growth Rates THREE Times That Of Israel As A Whole... 16:37  |  Yishai Kohen 11/05/09
  6.   It`s only natural 16:59  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/05/09
  7.   duh? ya think so? 18:32  |  Northern 11/05/09
  8.   but 19:05  |  Suzy 11/05/09
  9.   Naturally, they`re preparing Yosh to join Gaza 19:37  |  Josh 11/05/09
  10.   What a whinge 20:12  |  Marilyn 11/05/09
  11.   3 poor esther, wallowing in her leftist liberal delusions... 20:14  |  bat yam 11/05/09
  12.   What rubbish 20:22  |  James Scobbie 11/05/09
  13.   Israeli Arabs 20:22  |  Hector 11/05/09
  14.   Expelling settlers 20:39  |  Reality Check 11/05/09
  15.   Every reasonable Israeli 20:45  |  Axel 11/05/09
  16.   Its futile to argue with leftists 21:12  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 11/05/09
  17.   Im just really curious... 21:36  |  Reina 11/05/09
  18.   Garbage! They`re expanding at record rates 21:42  |  Ari 11/05/09
  19.   #5 Yishai - You could always go back to America 22:07  |  SJ 11/05/09
  20.   It`s about time 22:42  |  Don 11/05/09
  21.   The Settlers only have themselves to blame 00:09  |  David G 12/05/09
  22.   Every young couple 00:28  |  Axel 12/05/09
  23.   #8 Who is the real occupier? 01:28  |  Alex Simmonds 12/05/09
  24.   Whining because they aren`t allowed to illegally settle? 01:55  |  Herb Cohen 12/05/09
  25.   Squatters are criminals 01:56  |  Matt Giwer 12/05/09
  26.   I hope the Popes visit is concilatory not attacks RIGHT ??? 04:21  |  M. S. 12/05/09
  27.   "Expelling" just another word from his double speak handbook 04:46  |  jim the mechanic 12/05/09
  28.   CRUEL & Extreme PUNISHMENT For Being Jews in Israel 05:04  |  Linda Rivera 12/05/09
  29.   Either that or a forced evacuation, take your pick 23:43  |  Alex 12/05/09
  30.   No where to live? Uhhh US, Canada? 23:55  |  New World 12/05/09
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