Israel approves 227 new homes in West Bank settlement of Ariel
Defense Minister Ehud Barak okays largest housing project in single settlement since establishment of the Netanyahu government.
By Chaim Levinson and The Associated Press Tags: Israel settlements West Bank Ehud BarakDefense Minister Ehud Barak has approved the building of 277 apartments the West Bank settlement of Ariel, defying U.S. criticism of continued settlement construction.
Barak authorized the construction in Ariel, the core of the settlement bloc deepest inside the West Bank. One hundred of the apartments will house Israelis evacuated in 2005 from a Gaza Strip settlement.
The new housing units are set to be built in Ariel's Noyman neighborhood. 100 homes are intended for evacuees of the Gaza settlement of Netzarim, while the rest of the housing units are set to be sold freely.
View Ariel settlement in a larger map
The building permits for the homes were handed out a while ago, but marketing the lands to contractors was delayed due to diplomatic considerations until now. The construction is expected to conclude in about three years.
This marks the largest construction project in a single settlement since the establishment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had no immediate comment Monday on the diplomatically charged move.
Since the establishment of Netanyahu's government, very few building permits were handed out. In 2009, 492 housing units were approved in various West Bank settlements. In March of 2011, following the murder of a family in the settlement of Itamar, Netanyahu announced his intention to construct 500 homes in the area, but the land has yet to be marketed to contractors.
In recent weeks, Israel has also moved ahead on two other construction projects in east Jerusalem, the Palestinians' hoped-for capital. The U.S. was critical of those plans.
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West Bank city of Ariel. |
| Photo by: Tal Cohen |
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What a waste of money. These lands that Ariel is situated on will have to be given back to the Palestinian people, the rightful owners of these lands, once peace is agreed upon and our Israeli government knows this. All this is, is another attempt by Netanyahu and the rest of his criminal government to create more tension and to delay and damage any chance for peace. Again no response or action from the USA, which claims it cares for the Palestinian people and wants to see them come back to the negotiation table, while not even attempting to stop Israel from building these illegal housing project on illegal lands it stole from the Palestinians.
Anyone with even one brain cell understands this.
I can only assume that Ehud Barak (he who abstained on Oslo 2) wants to condemn Palestinians and Israelis to an endless conflict. This massive illegal and colonial project is a calculated atatck on the peace process. The Obama Administration needs to remember the policy that George W H Bush adopted in the early 1990's and stand firm against settlements.In 2011 that means supporting the two state solution proposed by the Palestinian delegation at the United Nations and the US should vote to recognize a Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza with its capital in East Jerusalem.
As Menachem Begin said: "Some things are more important than life..."
Thanks Haaretz for including a map. All this talk of the politics between the Israelis and the Palestinians, its easy to forget that any chance for a 2-state solution depends upon a border separating the peoples. The more one studies the map, the stronger the realization that Israel has destroyed any possible separation of the people. Thanks Israel, your only choices are apartheid or one bi-national state.
Israel has constantly said that CITIES, like Ariel are not up for negotiation with the palestinians. Clinton agreed with that with Barak, Bush promised Sharon in writing that the US would not demand Israel gives the palestinians these places and Bibi even managed to get Obama to put in writing commitments he would not ask him to give them up. If Ariel is not up for negotiation where is the harm in building there? Israel needs affordable housing housing and this is helping address the need. This is natural growth of a city thats home to about 20,000 individuals, its not like building a new settlement from scratch.
Bush's letter is worthless. The palestinians do not agree. You don't want unilateral actions right ? Ariel is right ibn the middle of palestinian populations ? why would Israel do that appart from creating another conflict with the palestinians ? why ? this is not 'natural growth', this is called 'occupation'. Israel uses and abuses military force perfectly knowing the palestinians cannot defend themselves. And when they do, Israel kills them.
Or is that too much to ask from Nutty Yahoo's poodle in Washington?
the US dollar will soon be worth only as toilet paper
What is fair is fair.
The Palestinians should complain again to the UN and ask that the Security Council pass a Resolution condemning Israel for the new settlement activity. Such happened a while ago and the US vetoed it. But a repeat performance by Israel, and these times contrary to promises Netanyahu made to the US, may allow Obama to refrain from vetoing the condemnation resolution, since he knows he will veto the resolution on Palestinian statehood in September. A resolution of condemnation this time will help the Palestinians gain more states voting in the GA for their state. At least they will derive some political benefit from the move.
Enough is enough!. Palestinians Moving Forward Wisely Give the Palestinians a fair state now. Kosovo, East Timore, Montenigro, South Sudanese have all become independent, and with far less international recognition, so why not Palestine?
There are 20 some Arab states including Jordan which was truncated from Palestine already. There is hardly a need for an additional enemy state so close. Tony Silver's earlier suggestion that Arabs have a "right to return" should be amended to read "back to the Arab countries from which their forefathers migrated into the land of Israel."
the worst imagineable announcement possible that will push the undecided nations to vote for Palestinian statehood. Even the cleverest Islamic propagandists couldn't come up with a better plan to incite hatred against Israel. Bibi, for all his stonewalling and blocking negotiations has actualy expedited the foundation of the new Palestiian state, and Barack, who warned of the tsunami, made it worse. Two men who will be recorded as destructive incompetents for the state of Israel at a critical time.
Has there been a peep out of the Americans yet? Anything from the State Department? A comment of any kind from Madame Clinton? Anything at all?
It is abundantly clear that Israel and USA don't want peace but the status quo. What is amazing to the worl community is how can the remnants of Hitler's concentration camps now practice the same savagery against a native people? And please don't tell me the present Netanyahu and Lieberman and Sharonesque ilk are the true Jews. There won't be any peace but devastating war and after the smoke clears , there won't be any Egypt, No Jordan, no Saudi Arabia, no Syria, no Lebanon, and last but not least , there won't be any Israel anymore forever. I am not a soothsayer like most Israeli politicians, but I do know Logic and Mathematics. And not even USA will be able to help Israel !
Unlike Gush Etzion settlements or Maale Adumim, Ariel is located in the very midst of the territory of the future Palestinian state. It would be very difficult to create the viable and contiguous Palestinian state with the big Israeli enclave in its midst, with the infrastructure, roads, military bases etc. Ariel is a big city even today, to remove it is a very difficult task. Building more appts in Ariel means making this task even more difficult. The new construction in Ariel is a very bad signal: that the Israeli government is not really interested in quitting the occupation and colonization. The bid is a cynical exploitation of the current social protest in Israel. Israelis want cheaper housing, the government offers appartments in the occupied territories. It must be made very clear, that there can be no social justice while Israel controls millions of people, who are not part of the Israeli society at all. There can be no equality while neighbours in the occupied territories are living by the different sets of laws. If Israel wants to be just society, it must either end the control over the occupied territories or incorporate its citizens as Israeli citizens with equal rights - and the latter option would be disastrous for Israel. By deepening the occupation and colonization, Israel shoots to its own foot.
funny!. and israel insists on negotiation with Palestinians. just tell me what left to negotiate?
Build Israel Build! This is exactly the way it should be. This is the Jewish homeland and has been since Avraham first set foot on the land. We need to be able to house our people in the small plot HaShem has given us. Arabs have billions of acres of homeland in a myriad of Middle Eastern countries to pick from to house their people. Jews only have Israel. So - Build Israel Build!
Israel approves 227 new troubles in West Bank settlement of Ariel
Ariel is a TOWN not a "settlement." In Judea and Samaria Israelis (not "settlers") live in TOWNS, VILLAGES and COMMUNITIES. If Ariel is a "settlement" so is Tel Aviv.
45 years ago there was no settlement in the WB, then a caravan on a hill became a village then a town. Why do you think Israel does not do anything to dismantle the outposts ? because an outpost today becomes a town tomorrow and suddenly this is not 'negociable' ! this is called crookery and theft my friend. Pure and simple.
So, eventually, one day, towns, villages, and communities will be part of the inevitable Palestinian state.
Just imagine the press footage and pictures of weeping women. " We have been dragged from our houses not once, but twice!!" Cue the outrage. Nice staging, Barak. Put them where they can moan , and wait for the sympathy of the credulous Jewish world. But the rest of the world might just remember those who would obstinately refuse to live in Israel proper.
You don't see that as an issue ? millions of palestinians do. There are 500 000 settlers in the WB. They are the issue. Now, if you feel sympathy for those who get killed in other countries, perhaps you should feel sorry for those who get killed in the territories by your army. What do you think ? unless you'll find another justification to those crimes ?
The Palestinians want peace (lobbing rockets into Israel). ROTFL. Atleast this is a non-violet way to protest the rockets! For every rocket that comes... Israel should approve 100 new apartments instead of striking back. Peaceful with a strong clear message.
As if the rockets were the issue. You're such a hypocrit. Don't try to justify what is called 'land theft' and 'occupation' my friend. Israel uses military force to get it done. Thousands of palestinians have been killed. Don't play the victim. You're the agressor. And you wonder why palestinians resist ? you and many other israelis would rather close their eyes and support the criminal policy of their governments. They all are witnesses of occupation. What do they do against that ? they'd rather sit in Tel Aviv, play guitar and smoke hashish and demonstrate against the high cost of living ! don't justify your crimes Ari. There are hundreds of examples that prove Israel is a criminal state.
By the time Israel finishes it settlement activity there will be no more left for the palestenian state. Negotiations will then begin.
Only one state will emerge. And there will be only one question: an apartheid state or a true democratic state where the Arabs and the non jews will have the same rights than the jews. Plain and simple !!!
the faster the Palestinians will get serious about negotiations
Only one state will emerge. And there will be only one question left: will it be an apartheid state or a true democratic state where the non jews will have the same rights than the jews ??? Plain and simple !!!
No. The more Israeli builds the more Israel strenghthens palestinian radicalism and the more Israel puts its citizens in danger. Isn't that what Israel expect ? starting a new war front ? Israel thinks force is the answer. Israel plays dangereous games and then victimizes. The world is not blind.
This is all oddly reminiscent of the wild west in the US in the mid 1800's. The natives were beaten down and disregarded as humans, crazed religious communities were set up and the rule of law was flimsy to non-existant. Well done israel, you are as backward as they come and regressing further by the day. You have about 100 years before you need to think about giving ethnic minorities any rights, on your current timeline.
Apartheid is offensive...The parallel to South Africa is anti-Jewish propaganda. South Africa during apartheid was 90% black. In Israel Jews are the majority and Arab citizens have equal rights.
The settlers are out of control. A crime remains a crime even if it is in revenge for another crime.
but the question is: what is it that is to be negotiated? With Israel ongoing expansionism and building a settlements that cut the palestinian territories in half and cut Jerusalem off from the WB, as zionist expansionism takes over entire existing Palestinian neighbourhoods, what is there to negotiate and why does the US not do more than issuing pointless meaningless statements of disapproval that have no substance? What does the US, the EU think the palestinian state that they claim to support will look like; a series of truncated, disconnected bantustans surrounded by these colonies of fanatics who will carry out acts of violence and vandalism against even these remaining Palestinian enclaves?
"surrounded by these colonies of fanatics who will carry out acts of violence and vandalism ". Do you actually believe in your own writings?! I mean how can you even compare Israeli civillians to their Palestinian counterparts? I used to believe there could be a way to a negotiated peace agreement, but when I read mis-informed and entirley blinkered views like yours, I really do wonder If I will ever have the pleasure of witnessing peace in the region
Israel will relinqish its dream of a Jewish State from the River to the Sea.
Like any zionist apologist of the right he will tell us that Hamas does not recognise any Israel and that it wants the whole pie. He forgets to tell us that that is precisely the same position of the zionist right and from what we see happening on the ground today what is believed and put into practice by the current Israel government. Israel, if they ever evinced a sincere will to negotiate, would be negotiating with the the PA and the Palestinian people who have accepted the two state solution, not your propaganda lie of "from their dream of from river to sea". That I believe is still the motto of the zionist revisionists. So let's stick to facts and not obfuscate them with zionist claptrap.
It is no coincidence that the government always-again, argueing with a risk of threatening violence. Since it is no visible from any Palestinian side has willingness, then 'Barak & Co.' need to provocate, to create that violence for themselves.
Well done Israel---another confidence building peace seeking act.
Who cares about Obama? In the words of ter Stege: November 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SEPTEMBER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OCTOBER!!!!!! Why are you yelling a month? Who cares about September?
I'm relieved that we're beginning to create real solutions for the housing crisis and simultaneously strengthens security in Israel.
Did you ever see a Palestinian with a deed to land supposedly owned?
The ones isssued by the Israeli Government don't count because the International Community don't recognize to Israelis the authority to rule in land that does not belong to Israel.
I have yet to see an Israeli with a deed that goes beyond the old testament
They lost that land by going to war in '67. Israel can now build anywhere they please. If the Arabs are foolish enough to start another war, they will lose the remainder of their land. Besides, there's no place called Palestine. If anything, Israel should be negtotiating with Jordan, the party that lost the land in '67. Who the heck are the "Palestinians"??
what more do sensible minds need to see to understand that all the blather about how Israel wants peace and is working toward a two state solution is nothing but propaganda. How will prosor explain this one away? What is it about israel that allows it to get away with this flagrant violation of international law and suffer no consequences? Why does hillary clinton not call for sanctions? Why does the US Congress allow its members to go on this junket to Israel that will result in a statement sanctioning this enxpansionism? Why does the US press notcover this and expose the tremendous hold AIPAC has through its power, influence and money, on the US Congress? Why is the world silent to this crime?
and recognize the Jewish State, knock off the violence, give up the RoR nonsense, and mutually define borders. Quite simple, really.
Because the world hasn't got rose tinted glasses on like you do. The world can see who Israel has to deal with on a daily basis. The world (thankfully) hasn't adopted completely idealistic veiws that you hold. The world is not blind, and you don't like it.
1. By recognising Israel,Palestinians recognise it as the state as it defines itsefl. This "Jewish" thing is new and has been set up by the far right in Israel and has never been part of recognition. Check your facts. The UN partititon plan spoke of an Arab state and a Jewish state. Palestinians recognise that. 2.As for violence speak to the zionist colonists who are carrying out acts of violence against palestinian villagers on a daily basis. Check your facts. 3. The borders that are to be discussed are those of June 6, 1967 and so recognised by the international community. That is what is to be negotiated. Since 1967 Israel has unilaterally changed the geographic and demographic reality on the ground which is in violation of international law. Quite simple really. A matter of facts and not zionist propaganda.
1 - If the International community does not recognize states based on religion criteria for so,so,so long why should the PALESTINIANS ( without upper commas) recognize Israel as the State of the Jews instead of recognizing it as the country of the Israeli people??? 2 - Mutually what ??? You mean "mutually" ( here the upper commas are accurate), for sure. The approach the Israeli Government intends to adopt if the sitting down with the Palestinians will ever ocurred is the following: " We have leftovers for U to build the Palestinian state. Take it or leave it. " So much for the "mutually agreement" that Israel is claiming for.
Palestinians will never forget their land. Through time the balance of power will change. Israel is not planning well for this time unfortunately.
Arabs are known as the most intelligent, objective, open minded and insightful people.
The land bandits and their supporters here, have no regard for international law, and is heading in the wrong direction.
We never had any support and we learned to do without. You always needed charity and still got absolutely nowhere.
THe more you break international law, the less you get support. Don't worry, the US Congress will always be there for you.
How naive & ridiculous! No one believes this but you.
destroyer of home can never have a home:
What a shame, always the same. I can't believe that an "advanced" society (as is supposed to be yours) is doing something so...cruel
Or do you mean the attack in Itamar? Or the attack on school bus in April? Henry, what are you talking about?
The whole Israeli political establishment (including the supposedly dovish Barak, Livni and Shimon Peres) is totally infected by the virus called "expansive Zionism". There is treatment against all kind of ills today, so one has to wonder, whether the International pharma industry will find a remedy against the above mentioned (and very feverish) disease either. All the rest of the world can do for now is wait and knock on wood.....
See what happens when foreign governments fund housing protests. More housing gets built.
We hear everyday Israel is in great danger because of 'palestinian unilateral actions'.......this is such a joke !!! this will give the palestinians more strength to go to the UN and force their recognition and independance. Israel should be sanctionned !!!
Signed agreements between the Israelis and Arabs, including Oslo, permit building in locations suvh as Ariel.
Oslo has been buried long time ago by Sharon 'aka the butcher'. Don't use peace agreements to find excuses. Oslo is dead. Israel killed it.
recognition of US. & ALL EU member states of Palestine at the UN. difficult, but not impossible.
To tell the Arabs to stop grandstanding and get back to the negotiating table and -- work out a fair compromise!
We all know just how far the Palestinians were prepared to compromise and also how that was thrown back in their faces by a (relatively) left wing government. Your stand point is based on a lie that has been exposed already - so why keep repeating it?
What is Netanyahu's gov't telling us? That If you want affordable housing, go live in the territories?
The vote in the United Nations will be even larger for Palestinian Statehood, Israel's isolation increassed, boycotts instituted world wide, and anti semitism and anti Zionism moved up a notch. Perversity is not statesmanship, effective, or even an intelligent bargaining tool. The man who most tried to stymie Palestinian legitimacy will preside over Israel and be forced to acknowledge reality. Ironic, and tragic that bibi showed no flexibility or initiaitive in dealing with the problem over his two terms, and he has surrendered his ideals, values, and integrity every step of the way. shame on those who voted for him.
what is a fair game for him, as he is used to abuse you anyway...
...why did they stick new units in the most problematic construction project of them all? I do not think I will live to see a two state solution-and I'm afraid that people who care to keep Israel independent will some day regret this incrementally mad, politically based housing policy. .
What do you expect him to do? The tents are still up and running, and both the left and the right passing by the centrists have endorsed the claims of the protesters. And the land available belongs to Israel, therefore he needs to build in the limits of the land.
This goes to show without ambiguity what are the policies of the Israeli government towards the palestinians and the world community. I hope this is worth the next war.
for serious face-to-face talks this expansion would not be happening. All duringthe initial 9 month construction freeze, did Abbas come back to the table. No! Abbas, youmake your bed...now aly in it. How many times are yougoing to dissapoint your people?
Probably egging them on to war to gain the whole land for Islam, an imperial, militant religion spread by the sword and not by reasoning and 1000 miles from home when in Jerusalem and squatting on the birthplace of the greater monotheistic religion that preceded it and from which it learned some of its most cherished religious knowledge and practices. When it's an obstinate all or nothing policy for the Palestinians against Israel which G-d is re-establishing in its ancient land, the Palestinians will end up with nothing, as in no State as we see today and no State for the forseeable future.
Baruch Hashem...Israel wanted more homes and now we're getting them!!!
The militant Palestinians are hoping and praying for a favorable UN vote for their State only after 64 years of violence and hoping and praying for a military victory over Israel had failed them miserably in achieving that. The vote they seek will be no more than a paper vote by those compromised nations that will gladly cheer them on when the Palestinians resort again to violence and hoping and praying for a complete military victory over Israel even if they get the 1967 borders they seek.
The West Bank belongs to the Palestinians, not Israel, no matter how much of it is stolen...
But this is not nearly enough.
Yes ! you can go to Neguev if you want !
The Arabs and Jews both signed Oslo, which does not forbid Jews from building in Ariel.
Which was supposed to halt new construction on occupied lands, but I guess most people forget. And although Olso didn't mention the settlements, it did say niether side should take any unilateral action that would prejudice the final agreement, and by creating facts on the ground Israel is doing just that. It was also Bibi that declared also was dead!
...which does not forbid humans who happen to be Jewish from living and building in Ariel.
to sit down and negotiate? Nowhere to be found! You're too late, Mr. Abbas, and once again you have failed to capture an opportunity and once again let your people down.
...and permits should, as in all civilised countries, be granted by a local authority. Which "happens to be" a occupying military power..
This is ridiculous. Why alienate the entire world in dribs and drabs? Let's isolate ourselves completely all at once and get it over with. The world SHOULD boycott us.
This isn't palestinian land, regardless of how intense the effort to convenience the nations that it is. According to two respected former Jordanian kings Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan.
No my friend. Most palestinians were born in Palestine : Jerusalem, Beethlehem, Yaffa, Haiffa, Ramla, Acre etc....dont get confused with those who arrive in Israel on a yearly basis from Brooklyn and the rest of the planet, who do not know a word of hebrew and barely know the history of the region. History is history my friend. Not much you can do about it. If Israel wants a confrontation, Israel will lose more than it thinks. Up to you. Now dream as much as you want about Jordan. Palestinians belong to palestine and there's not much you can do about it. Capito Alon ? please stop your victimization, this is just too sad.
80% of the population in this area before 48 was palestinian. Any problem with that ? or you want to question the numbers ? my father was born in jerusalem in 43.....any other example that you want or you prefer to keep a low profile ?
One must simply stand in awe of such blatant disregard for common sense, the peace-process and the imminent establishment of the Palestinian State. In spite of proclamations to the contrary this amounts to an act of aggression (to put it mildly) prior to the already anticipated unrest - on both sides of the fence - in September. Great timing, Barak! Or perhaps that timing was a Machiavellian move on the government's part.
Israel needs to build affordable housing for the homeless. This announcement is a small step in the right direction, towards social justice.
sanction this rotten regime.
Your a disgrace because you and the world focus so much energy on Israel when Syria and lebanon, and somalia are in a mess. So, focus on real issues, and please, let's not lose sight of the real horrors in the middle east. Israel is a free country. So, Karl,go back in your cave, and be quiet.
more liea by israel, abd none of this makes the american broadcast news. and they expect us to believe they want peace.
as a country established in an area that was already populated, is hard enough to argue for. But as a country that continues to colonise neighboring areas.... ?
ask any descendent of the peoples who inhabited any part of the world a few thousand years ago - for instance the Celts in Europe, the Berbers in North Africa, the Native Americans etc etc
Reject all other historical claims to the land, even when these claims are stronger due to recent and more numerous habitation, unleash militias against the unorganised and essentially unarmed indigenous, milk a strong so called friend in the USA ..... modern Israel come about via a violent colonisation process.
Israel must build to survive ! There is nothing more important in G-d's creation than survival. The Jewish State is our insurance policy. Let that be known to the world. It is our right & no power can deny that !
It will give Israel a one-state solution.
It will give a troubled, one-state. No solution.
All this is a provocation from Israel trying once again to destroy peace and to create a hostile climat. Israel will lose so much and you will be responsible for that.
With well over 17,000 residents and a rapidly-expanding population, Ariel needs 10 times that many new homes right now.
It will help relieve the housing shortage and help spread the population away from the over-congested Gush Dan area.
Tomer: how would you like to have someone else build a house in your own backyard? Are you aware of the meaning of what’s happening there? Who will benefit? Who is behind those new houses? In appearance is all political, even patriotic, that what the big cats with the money to build those new homes would like you to believe. The real estate investors with the government are in cahoots behind this movement for more housing. Two or three years from now their pockets will be filled with Euros or dollars !
Why would I mind?
The illegal settlement of Ariel is located deep inside the OPT, and its position severely hinders the contiguity of a viable Palestinian state. Therefore, war-criminal Barak has stabbed peace and is making it EASIER for the global community to reject Israel's unilateral and illegal settlement activities within the upcoming Palestinian state by encouraging them to recognize Palestine along 67 ceasefire lines. Bravo Barak !
Despite what Rami claims, Ariel is not "deep inside the OPT" -- it is just minutes form Rosh Ayin and Tel Aviv -- probably closer than Rami and most Americans commute to work every day. Despite Rami's haste to paint Barak as a "war criminal," at no point in the Oslo aagreements did the Arabs demand to expel all Jews from that town, nor did Israel commit to stop building there.
its still occupied land and israel has no right building there. And since when does a pro-israeli care about the Oslo Agreement or any agreement for that matter, you bring shame to your kind.