Settler leaders: Netanyahu government 'humiliating' us

Prominent local heads of West Bank settlements spelled out their dissatisfaction with the Netanyahu government in an August meeting with the prime minister's aides and to the man himself at one point.

The heads of four West Bank settlements (and all members of the Likud Central Committee) bitterly criticized current government policy on the settlements, according to the minutes of the meeting, which were released by the office of Eyal Gabai, the director general of the Prime Minister's Office, who was there. The critics were Ma'aleh Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel, Ariel Mayor Ron Nachman and two local council heads, Gush Etzion's Shaul Goldstein and Beit El's Moshe Rosenbaum.

Kashriel appears in the minutes as saying: "The [West Bank settlement] heads in Judea and Samaria are in a situation today in which they are humiliated and ridiculed. There was never such a bad period [as the present]. Before the elections, there was talk of construction in settlement blocs. Now we are not seeing an end [of this]. Everything is frozen. Under the prior [Olmert] administration, it was possible to build between houses. Now this is not [allowed]. The situation also has direct economic implications. There is no construction. There is no income from permits, from the sale of land or from property taxes. Charitable foundations are not coming to Judea and Samaria. There was a meeting with the finance minister in which promises were made, but since the approval of the budget, it has not been possible to get [what was promised]."

Gush Etzion council head Shaul Goldstein reportedly added that "there is great frustration among the [settlement] authority heads in Judea and Samaria. Everything is in the hands of the prime minister, and there will be no hesitation to do battle with him. [Construction in] Gush Etzion is totally frozen."

Goldstein said illegal construction in Palestinian villages is not stopped while in the outpost of Netiv Ha'avot, with the encouragement of the State Prosecutor's Office, demolition orders have been issued.

In the course of the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu joined the discussion to hear the participants' complaints. Representing him as well as Gabai were Uzi Keren, the PM's adviser on settlement, and Amir Barkan, head of the PMO's economic branch.

In voicing their anger at Netanyahu's policies, the local officials said they would not hesitate to take action. Among planned protests is one at a cornerstone laying ceremony next week for construction in E-1, the area between Ma'aleh Adumim and Jerusalem, where Israel has come under international pressure not to build. Goldstein of Gush Etzion said, "If the prime minister doesn't change the atmosphere, there will be a serious problem."

Ariel Mayor Ron Nachman asked that the cabinet convene in his community as a political statement and wanted the prime minister to send visitors to the West Bank to help the settlement leaders explain the situation there.

Nachman added that "the prime minister cannot stand alone against the whole world. He will receive the backing of [settlement] authority heads only if he issues a clear message. There is a government, a budget. Everything is calm. Now [there is an opportunity] to provide an opening in Judea and Samaria. The residents of [the settlements] should be given an equal opportunity as that which residents of other communities in the country have." He added that the state should compensate the settlements if charitable foundations don't extend their activities to the territories.

The most vociferous comments came from Beit El's Moshe Rosenbaum, who said there was a feeling they were dealing with "a sealed wall." He spoke of rising public ferment, adding that they needed to "hear a positive message from the prime minister and to see action."

Gabai promised to arrange a meeting for settlement leaders with both Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz. Netanyahu, according to the minutes, said, "Ultimately, we are all interested in the same thing, but one must act wisely."

	Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
	Photo by: (BauBau)