The political echelon intends to propose to the new administration in the US to preserve the construction formula in Judea and Samaria during the Trump administration • Meaning: All construction plans will require prior approval by the Americans • The Prime Minister's Office did not respond
Judea and Samaria. Construction to a limited extent and in small areas
Photography:
A h y.fi.
With the entry into the work of the Biden administration and the beginning of its activity in the international arena, Israel is preparing.
One of the sensitive issues that hangs between the parties is the continued construction of Israeli settlement in Judea and Samaria, which the Americans are expected to oppose.
Israel Today has learned that the political echelon seeks to prevent public confrontations on the issue, as often happened during the Obama era.
To do so, Jerusalem intends to propose to the new administration to continue the construction formula of the past four years, which has prevented friction between the two countries.
The formula was set in a secret cabinet decision about four years ago at the beginning of the previous administration's tenure.
It allowed for construction in settlement but to a limited extent and in small areas.
A knowledgeable political source points out that although Israel was not liberated to promote construction as it wished, the great advantage of the formula was the industrial quiet that was convenient for both countries.
The rules of work of the last four years were as follows: only four beats a year, during which the Civil Administration will approve construction plans in Judea and Samaria. It was agreed that the "footprint" of the new neighborhoods should be as small as possible, so as not to spill over into the territories that the American system is supposed to be part of the Palestinian state.
It should be noted that due to this principle, many buildings have been built in settlement in recent years and there has been a steep decline in the number of ground-level units.
In addition, in practice Netanyahu usually approved only three beats a year and not four.
Also, all the construction plans in Judea and Samaria were examined by the government and received its approval before being submitted for approval to the Civil Administration Planning Committee.
Israel intends to offer the Biden administration the above formula, but knows that the current administration will be much stricter in terms of construction volumes. However, the hope in Jerusalem is that even in Washington they will want to avoid public friction with Israel on the issue.
Another sensitive question is construction in Jerusalem.
Prime Minister Netanyahu officially claims that there are no policy restrictions on construction in Jerusalem.
However, many in the political system told Israel Today that even during the Trump era, construction in Jerusalem required Washington's permits.
In 2010, a diplomatic incident took place between then-Vice President Joe Biden and Netanyahu, after the Jerusalem municipality promoted the construction of a neighborhood in the city while Biden visited Israel.
On Tuesday, the first conversation took place between the new US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and his colleague, Gabi Ashkenazi.
The conversation lasted about half an hour, and on the Palestinian issue the American minister expressed opposition to unilateral measures by both sides.
Regarding the possibility of opening an American mission for the Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Blinkan clarified that no decision has yet been made.
As for the possibility that the US will return to the nuclear agreement with Iran, the senior US official stressed that his government will consult with Israel before formulating a policy towards Iran.
Meanwhile, the young settlement decided to renew the struggle for the acceptance of security elements and the settlement of the settlements also during the Biden period.
The Eretz Israel lobby in the Knesset, led by Haim Katz and Bezalel Smutrich, appealed to government ministers to resume activities to pass a resolution in the government that would address the security and civilian needs of the outposts' residents.
No response was received from the Prime Minister's Office.
