Netanyahu planning unprecedented new construction during Trump reign

[geek tragedy]

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Netanyahu-planning-unprecedented-new-construction-during-Trump-reign-475902

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his strongest statement in years on Monday in favor of construction in Judea and Samaria, giving hope to settler leaders that massive construction will begin when Donald Trump replaces Barack Obama as president of the United States.

...

But sources close to the prime minister said that neither Netanyahu nor the incoming president see West Bank construction as a hindrance to the creation of a Palestinian state.

Speaking at a Likud faction meeting on Monday, Netanyahu boasted of the success of the deal reached with residents of Amona that will allow more than half of them to remain on the hilltop in a different location. He told the faction that Amona was just the beginning.

“We will continue to strengthen and develop settlements, and I want to make clear: There is not, nor will there be, a government that gives more support to settling and cares more about settling than this government we in the Likud lead,” he said. “This will continue.”

Netanyahu is expected to be questioned about his plans for the Trump era and his support for increased West Bank construction on Tuesday when he meets with the foreign media at a pre-Hanukka event organized by the Government Press Office.

Sources in Bayit Yehudi said the party was preparing a list of what it will demand from Netanyahu after Trump is sworn in on January 20. The sources said the party views the election of a president unopposed to settlement construction and the appointment of settlement-supporting David Friedman as ambassador as a game changer.

...

Bennett said the list included applying Israeli sovereignty to Area C in Judea and Samaria gradually, starting with Ma’aleh Adumim, as well as steps to “naturalize life in Judea and Samaria.”

Sources in Likud and Bayit Yehudi said the settlement regulation bill that would sanction some 4,000 homes built on privately owned Palestinian land would not be brought to its final readings until after Trump takes office.

There's zero pressure on Netanyahu to restraint settlement expansion, and virtually zero on him to avoid the one-state solution.

[shira]

1. Building within existing settlement blocs that would never go to Palestine....

....in any deal (Clinton Plan, Geneva Initiative, Olmert's proposal, Obama/Kerry) is not an impediment to peace.

[karynnj]

5. Except that is not all they are doing

You mention Obama/Kerry - yet it was VERY clear in his Saban talk that he feels that the settlements already in the works work against a two state solution. They are already building in many places that were likely to be Palestinian. Some of Netanyahu's more radical cabinet members are calling for annexing all of area C. Are you in favor of a two state solution?

If Netanyahu does scale up the settlements under Trump, he may have the historical honor of being the man who made it impossible for Israel to be a democratic, Jewish state. The actions of the last two years have made it pretty clear that liberal Zionism is becoming a non viable idea. I would expect that in Europe and among many liberal Americans more will join the BDS movement - many with great sadness for what could have been.

[shira]

6. Sure it is. Where is Israel building in areas that would def. be Palestinian later?

I'm totally for 2 states, but I don't believe building up in areas that will go to Israel in any arrangement is an impediment to peace.

I'm with you opposing the buildup of settlements in areas that would most likely become Palestinian. That's w/o question an impediment, but where is that going on?

As for the possible impossibility of a liberal democratic Israel, that's not happening. The Palestinians will just be offered less for a state the longer they hold out.

[karynnj]

7. Your last sentence contradict's your claim in the first and second paragraphs

Israel, as much as the Palestinians, blocked both the George Mitchell and the John Kerry efforts to get a two state solution. In addition, Israel blocked the efforts of Condi Rice. The argument that Israel has been willing, but the Palestinians haven't is cherry picking history. There are strong forces in Israel that have fought every step of the way. Remember it was a right wing Israeli who killed Rabin, who was taking step towards an agreement.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Where is the UN in all this?

In 1948, the land formerly called Palestine was divided into two parcels, one for a Jewish state and one for indigenous people living on that land. Are settlements a violation of that UN decree?

[shira]

3. You mean the '47 Partition Plan? Never ratified.

Last edited Wed Dec 21, 2016, 04:43 PM - Edit history (1)

The Palestinians rejected it, so it's now just a past suggestion, not law.