news
Political-political
Foreign relations
The controversy and the tribute to the Palestinians: behind the contacts with the United States on construction in the settlements
Tags
The Palestinians
Settlements
United States
Lightning Ravid
Wednesday, 11 August 2021, 22:37 Updated: 22:39
Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on general
Share on general
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
0 comments
Last week, incoming National Security Adviser Eyal Hulta and Prime Minister Shimrit Meir's political adviser attended meetings at the White House and the State Department in Washington. One of the issues discussed was construction in the settlements. Senior Israeli officials said that the Israeli message at those meetings was - we are going to renew the promotion of construction plans in the settlements, but we will do so in a restrained and sensible way.
In the last ten months the Supreme Planning Board of the Civil Administration has not been convened. This meant an informal freeze on planning and construction procedures in the settlements. Initially, this stemmed from the political confrontation between former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Bnei Gantz. But since last January, the reason for this has been Netanyahu's desire to avoid a confrontation with Biden.
Bennett's advisers told White House and State Department officials in Washington that all decisions to promote settlement plans in the settlements would be made solely on the basis of natural growth needs and not as part of a move designed to establish facts on the ground.
They made it clear that construction would be done in a way that would not make reaching a future permanent settlement between Israel and the Palestinians more difficult or impossible.
More on Walla!
NEWS
The shocking cases are not over, so what to do with one of the most difficult problems in Israel?
To the full article
Where's Anne Frank?
First official visit after 20 years: Foreign Minister Lapid meets ...
Linoy Ashram returned with the gold medal to Israel and the stars of "Friends" ...
Bennett launched the plan to fight crime in the Arab sector: "No ...
Eitan's aunt: He has already lost one family - he is not ...
A method of dealing with insomnia
She was banned from entering the garage that inspects cars - because of what ...
Sculptures found buried in a maze cave in Ukraine
Children required in isolation are hidden in the trunk of a car ...
The governor of New York has announced his resignation following allegations ...
Police Enforcement Tool for Enforcement Koro August 10, 2021
Report to the police about the shooting in Bat Yam 10.08.21
US Secretary of State: Normalization agreements are not a substitute for dealing with the Palestinian issue (Photo: Reuters)
"The Biden administration knows we are going to build in the settlements. We know they do not like it and oppose it, but both sides do not want to reach a confrontation on the issue," said a senior Israeli figure in talks with the Americans.
Senior officials in the Biden administration have told Bennett's advisers that they expect Israel to take positive action on the ground against the Palestinians, help stabilize the Palestinian economy and avoid moves such as demolishing homes, evacuating Palestinians from their homes and establishing new illegal outposts.
The Americans also raised the issue of settler violence against Palestinians.
A senior Israeli official noted that Bennett's advisers had made it clear that the prime minister's directive to the army was to show zero patience for settler violence against Palestinians and that the issue would be taken seriously.
Senior Israeli officials noted that in recent days there have been discussions between the Prime Minister's Office and the Defense Minister's Office regarding the convening of the Civil Administration's Planning Council. The deliberations in the discussions were whether to convene the council before Bennett's meeting with President Biden and what scope of settlement plans in the settlements to approve.
The decision made was not to wait and convene the Planning Board before Bennett's trip to Washington. An Israeli official said that in Israel they wanted to end the issue of approving the construction plans as soon as possible and put it behind them before the meeting with Biden. The approval of the plans after the meeting with Biden could have been interpreted in the White House as an attack on the president, an Israeli official said.
It was also decided that in parallel with advancing plans to build 2,200 housing units in settlements in the West Bank, construction permits would be granted for 1,000 housing units for Palestinians in several Palestinian villages and towns in Area C in the West Bank where Israel holds planning and construction powers. Israel has not approved construction plans for Palestinians in Area C for many years and during them was intended both as a tribute to the Palestinians and as a balance for the decision to build in the settlements.
Defense Secretary Bnei Gantz met on Monday with Deputy US Ambassador Michael Rathani and briefed him on the intention to approve settlement plans in the settlements and give building permits to Palestinians. Yesterday, the Prime Minister's Office updated the White House on the move so that the administration will not be surprised by the publications in the Israeli media.
The issue of settlement construction has been one of the biggest points of tension between Netanyahu and President Obama.
The confrontation culminated in December 2016 when Obama did not veto the Security Council resolution that ruled the settlements were illegal.
During Trump's tenure, construction in the settlements has grown more than 150 percent compared to the number of construction plans approved in Obama's second term.
From 10,000 housing units in Obama's second term to 26,000 housing units in Trump's tenure.
Most of the construction plans approved during Trump's tenure were in isolated settlements deep in the West Bank.
Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on general
Share on general
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
0 comments