Netanyahu signed his name on the pledge along with members from Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, the Religious Zionist Party and HaBayit HaYehudi.
By TOVAH LAZAROFF, JPOST 3.10.22<
In an appeal to right-wing voters, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to support massive housing construction in West Bank settlements if he regains his former leadership position.
Netanyahu signed his name, along with 30 members of his Likud Party, and another 26 politicians from Shas, United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionist Party and Bayit Yehudi to a declaration on intended settlement building by the Sovereignty Movement.
In a campaign titled “Moving Eastward,” the Sovereignty Movement is claiming that the best resolution to the housing crisis is to build in Judea and Samaria.
“Construction of thousands of housing units on the Tel Aviv-Ariel thoroughfare will lead to a dramatic rise in the supply of land for construction and to a significant drop in housing prices,” the declaration stated.
Those who signed it pledged to use all parliamentary tools at their disposal to ensure that such construction takes place, particularly by changing regulations to ease the granting of settler building permits.
Netanyahu put his name on the document at a time when the Biden administration has sharpened its rhetoric against settlement building, with US Ambassador Tom Nides clarifying that Israel had been asked to constrain settlement activity.
Holding fast to that pledge would put him on a collision course with the US administration.
It would also sharpen the conflict on the issue with the European Union, which just resumed its annual EU-Israel Association Council meetings.
Netanyahu had a strong record on advancing settlement planning during the supportive Trump administration but struggled to hold his own on the matter against US president Barack Obama.
He agreed to a 10-month moratorium on breaking ground for new settler homes and periodic de-facto planning freezes. There were also periods during the Obama era when he surged forward with settler housing plans.
The US, the EU and the Palestinians have opposed settlement building, arguing that it prevents a two-state resolution to the conflict. Israel has argued that settlements have no connection to the peace process.
The Sovereignty Movement intends to publish a more detailed study in the near future claiming that 75,000 homes could be constructed there in the next five years.
The movement, led by Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, has focused in particular in the areas over the pre-1967 lines between Hadera and Gedera, explaining that this is where many citizens want to live.
How will this plan affect housing prices?
Building there will also drop housing prices within the Green Line by 20% once the 75,000 homes are on the market, Matar said.
The Yesha Council in the past has also argued that settlement construction is the best answer to the lack of affordable housing.
Katsover and Matar said that, “today, the population density in Israel is one of the highest among countries in the developed world.
“By 2040, Israel’s population is projected to grow to almost 13 million people. In Tel Aviv alone, the density is 7,841 residents per sq. km., a density significantly greater than the density in the Gaza Strip, which is 6,859 residents per sq. km.”
Meretz head Zehava Galon said in response, “Solving the housing problem in Israel by building outside of Israel is like robbing a bank in order to close your deficit in that same bank.
“But Bibi will do anything to win votes to get him out of prison,” she added.
@Michael S.
Just because someone is the longest-serving doesn’t mean he is the best or that his quality (if any) remains the same – length of service is not a virtue in itself (both things and people tend to wear out with long use).
My, my, my, aren’t we emotional! You don’t have to insult people who happen to judge your idol objectively (repeat the same for your “kvetchers” insult).
I prefer the people who unite the country instead of employing the divide-and-rule tricks, I prefer the people who promise less and do more, I prefer someone as a PM who, as the head of opposition, doesn’t declare war on the coalition like Netanyahu did with no thought about any damage this might cause to the country and the people as long as the coalition falls apart and he manages to push the country into the 5th election in 3 years.
I prefer someone who doesn’t lie to the public with his magic voice about all the great things he would do if elected, and if they believe him and he gets elected, does the opposite when no one is looking.
I prefer someone who doesn’t destroy the politicians who show too much ability and talent just cause they are now his competitors.
I prefer the people whose economic policy is based on understanding that Israel is not a mini-America, and that a country under siege cannot be taken over by several mutli-billionaires.
I prefer the politicians who eliminate the “sectoral” parties because every so-called “sector” must have the same idea that unite them – the survival and well-being of their country, and this is enough.
I prefer the politicians who honestly and actively promote aliyah, Jewish settlement, Jewish construction (inside and outside the Green Line), Jewish labor, eliminating the Arab terror, and the well-being of the country and the people.
This is not a miracle this is MARKETING and PR, in other words – ELECTIONEERING!
Ever heard of these terms?
@Michael
This is quite true. Such acts of unification are exactly what terrifies the Left. Should the Right unify, they have a good chance of success, but if they continue to mark each other for their attacks, they will likely fail to find the numbers to form a govt in this election. Seeing that there are only four weeks left to this campaign, I would hope the attacks by Bibi on Shaked and those by Shaked on Smotrich, and vice versa, would be put to an end, and instead for the Right to focus their wrath and political attention on those Leftists parties who will certainly continue to dismantle the state should the Right fail to succeed.
Reader, Steven and Lean, I have been hearing your sort of naysaying for over 20 years now. Do you somehow think your purpose in life is to criticize the longest-serving PM in Israel’s history? Maybe it is. Maybe God has created you, specifically to be a curse upon the Land. If so, I will not argue with him.
For over 20 years, I’ve put up with this BS; but none of you kvetchers have come up with a reasonable alternative. Tell me what you prefer, for you have been offered many choices. Would you prefer the Labor/Meretz communists? They are more than willing. Under them, you will have no end of vacations, as the country grinds to a halt under their perpetual strikes. Maybe the Arab parties. will set things in order, and give you the Eden you no doubt deserve. Or maybe the latest Tel-Aviv-Yuppie flash-in-the-pan.
I think it’s a marvel, that ALL the so-called “nationalist” camp actually signed on to a common pledge. That, in itself, is a miracle for Israel.
Netanyahu is lying, he is the biggest promoter of the TSS.
“Promise everything. Deliver nothing.”
But under his stewardship the Pal and EU have undermined Israel and expanded their control even in area C!!
No one has been paying attention!!!
This ‘building’ should be THE QUARANTINE CAMP for every world leader who tortured their citizenry with the building of camps, lockdowns, masks, track & tracing, green cards, and the beastly covid vaccines. The only outing they should be allowed is a walk in their underwear thru Nablus.