Settlers prepare to mark freeze expiration with construction surge
Thousands expected to attend rally to show the world that construction in the West Bank is resuming.
By Jonathan LisIn the settlement of Revava, the countdown to the end of the construction freeze is set to begin Sunday afternoon: Thousands were expected to attend a rally with tractors, cement mixers and other equipment to broadcast to the world that construction in the territories is resuming.
Regardless of whether the freeze ends entirely, or whether some sort of compromise between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the U.S. prevents large-scale construction, MK Danny Danon (Likud ) says the development should be commemorated.
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Construction in the West Bank settlement of Beit Hagai near Hebron, defying the settlement freeze, September 2, 2010. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
"We would be very troubled by any compromise, because we know it will affect construction," said Danon, who is behind the event in Revava. "The current effort is focusing on keeping the ban from being renewed, because fighting an official ban is more difficult than confronting the defense minister or officials at his office, so that they issue construction permits."
Existing construction permits would allow extensive construction in the more isolated settlements, but only limited work in the large settlement blocs.
Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar had given verbal authorization for construction to resume today, even though it's a holiday, Danon said.
"The rabbi said construction can begin even though work is not allowed during Sukkot," he said.
Several events are planned for the day the freeze ends: In the morning, dozens of buses are scheduled to bring Likud activists to visit various settlements to hear about the damage caused by the construction hiatus, and to show support for the settlers.
At 3 P.M. there will be a ceremony marking the laying of the cornerstone of a new kindergarten in Kiryat Netafim. Local council head Gershon Mesika is scheduled to participate.
At 4 P.M., the rally in Revava is scheduled to begin. Thousands are expected to participate, including MKs and local council heads.
MK Danon said that tomorrow, construction would resume on about 2,000 housing units in various settlements.
"The construction of several hundred homes will bring joy under the current circumstances," said MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union ). "Netanyahu is anesthetizing the right wing - while he is ending the freeze officially he is busy practically destroying settlement in Judea and Samaria."
MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima ), who lives in the settlement of Ma'aleh Mikhmas, said that the resumption of construction should not undermine negotiations with the Palestinians and the important relationship with the United States.
MK Yohanan Plesner (Kadima ) called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to set a clear policy that distinguishes between construction in isolated settlements and in settlement blocks.
Plesner wrote to Netanyahu and called on him to avoid "putting narrow political interests over national interests," and warned him that this could be his political demise.
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Get the hell outta Palestine, Israel was declared independent of Palestine May 14th 1948. It's continued land theft is a stain on the notion of our Jewish homeland state living in peace. The lies perpetuated in order to justify Israeli intransigence (the Hasbara) are transparent poppy cock, easily seen by reading the actual words of numerous UNSC Resolutions, Armistice and Peace Agreements. Israel only achieved peace with Egypt by adhering to the law. It HAD TO agreed to and eventually HAD TO withdraw from Egyptian territory BEFORE peaceful relations resumed. One only needs to read the actual words of the Agreement.
prepare to make it perfectly clear that there will be no justice for the Palestinians, perhaps you are comforted by the assertions of the all knowing IDF intelligence estimates that there won't be much reaction by the Palestinians since they didn't have much hope for the process anyway; the IDF had such a good record in prediction with the flotilla bringing in supplies to Gaza. Maybe Hamas is right--more Israeli blood will have to be shed before Israel is truly ready for a settlement. Too bad, the PM had everyone hoping against hope that he was ready to make "painful" concessions. He can't even bring himself to halt construction in areas he knows would have to be part of a Palestinian state. Maybe it's time for some hardball at the UN. Without a US veto of sanctions on Israel. Maybe all of Israel in the terms of the settlers, will have to "pay the price"
... is giving the Pals huge compensatory tracts of land within sovreign Israeli... if there are no nearby tracts of available land, then maybe we should offer the Pals land within the Galilee... the whole of Israel should be involved in these land swaps... at any rate, it is certain that the present mode of wild-west appropriation and digging-in cannot proceed blithely on its way.
...to be, to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people, based on historic, ethical and legal grounds, there will be a justification to talk about compromise. But even yesterday, when Mahmoud Abbas spoke at the UN, he highlighted Obama's speech but refused to go along with Obama's words, diluted as they were, and to state that Israel is indeed the historic homeland of the Jewish people and there is no reason to try to delegitimize its existence. And Abbas is considered a "moderate" among Muslim-Arabs... It is difficult to see why compromise with people who can't bring themselves to make even the simplest declarative statement can be partners to an accommodation of peaceful COEXISTENCE between Arab and Jew, between the Muslim-Arab world and the nation-state of the Jewish people, something the Jews worldwide have been eager, very eager to achieve.
Every new construction project weakens netanyahu's credibility as a partner for peace, and chips away at abbas's political capital. At the opening of the peace talks, all parties called on each other to act with strength and courage. There can't be peace unless they ask this of themselves, as well.
The Israeli Arabs of Umm al-Fahm have zero interest in living under the authority of PA and I can't blame them a bit. No Israeli would give up our imperfect state of rights for the rule of thugs that characterizes the PA
The maybes and bluffs and foot dragging and half measures cannot go on forever, and the chances for peace will diminish after this go around. Think hard, do the last twenty years represent the kind of security Israel seeks? What about national dignity? Does it warm you inside, or do you cringe when the world press announces the latest Israeli missteps with DIME, white phosphorus, the Turkish ambassador, the Gaza flotilla, or forged passports? Isn't it time to spend your national resources to the benefit of law-abiding Israelis, a fair number of whom have fallen under the poverty line as your government wastes funds on aggressive confrontation and a 19th-century-style frontier project? Extending the freeze would at least hint that Israel COULD make peace if she so chose. You owe it to the world and to yourselves, don't you?
Their messianism has undermined every peace initiative. Their sense of g-d given entitlement has condemned the region to ever building tension and a future of useless, criminal waste and destruction. ENOUGH!!
prior to each paroxysm of building... they couldn't care a dime, when the entire PM family is behind them...