The Jerusalem Municipality will reportedly fast-track approval for thousands of new homes in areas of the city east of the Green Line, including a much-disputed neighborhood in the city’s north and an entirely new neighborhood in the city’s south, Israeli media reported Monday night.
The move will likely further exacerbate tensions that have arisen since Israel announced Friday it would step up settlement construction as a response to the Palestinians’ upgraded status at the United Nations.
Some 1,700 units are scheduled for approval by the municipality in Ramat Shlomo, a largely ultra-Orthodox neighborhood on the northern outskirts of the city. The construction plans were initially okayed a year ago, during a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden.
The plans were frozen after an international outcry over the timing of the approval, which were seen as disrespectful to Washington.
The municipality will also green-light the construction of the first new neighborhood beyond the Green Line since the 1997 decision to build Har Homa.
Thousands of apartments are to be approved in Givat Hamatos, located next to the Jewish neighborhood of Talpiot and the Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa.
Israel captured East Jerusalem and the Old City in the 1967 war, and subsequently annexed them, later building Jewish neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city, which it considers its undivided capital. More than 200,000 Israelis are now estimated to live in Jewish neighborhoods established over the Green Line.
The reports of the planned new construction in Jerusalem came amid a diplomatic uproar that erupted over Israel’s announcement to build a separate 3,000 new homes in the West Bank and other parts of East Jerusalem. This government-announced plan includes intended construction in the sensitive E1 corridor between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maaleh Adumim.
The move, which Israel said is retaliation for the UN’s upgrading of the Palestinian Authority to a nonmember observer state last Thursday, has been widely condemned around the world. On Monday, the US urged Israel to backtrack, and several ambassadors in European capitals were called in for rebuke by their host countries. Britain and France were reported to be considering recalling their ambassadors from Tel Aviv for consultations, though France denied this.
An official in the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, said Israel would “fulfill its vital interests even in the face of international pressure and will not reverse its decision.”
@ Bernard Ross:
looking forward to your comment, mr ross.
#20 reply to phoenix in moderation
the phoenix Said:
I absolutely apologise. It was my reaction to what I see to be a general malaise. I am frankly astonished at how widespread it is and disappointed to see that minority leftists and pals are able to clearly demonstrate how a minority interest can achieve success butt the right wing cant. I never thought I would see the day that Jews could not see the value of a jewish lawyer(as opposed to the rest of the world. I am beginning to think that the right wing is intellectually challenged.
I am not talking about words, I am talking about a campaign with a plan of attack rather than just reactive defense. If the shoe were on the other foot I dont believe that Peace NOw would have hesitated to file suits against the Israeli govt to compel it to cease obstruction and facilitate encouragement of Jewish settlement under International and Israeli law. Perhaps we’ll have a miracle and the left wing will embrace settlement. More effort is spent denying its value than actually doing it. It takes some money and thought and planning but jeez, is this beyond the intellectual scope of the right wing? A media & legal campaign. frankly I think it is patheticthat no one has ever filed a suit and accompanied it with a media campaign. Right wing political leaders who cant even muster up a PR campaign and suit do not deserve to lead, they are ineffective and beneath the challenge. The only campaign i have seen is the basic PR video on jewish refugees that the govt came up with: miniscule!
the phoenix Said:
But what are jews doing between wars, is the physical war the only war?
the phoenix Said:
I am not talking about justification, I am talking about using lawfare as a battle strategy for attack. Also, dont confuse the GOI application of lawfare with that of settlers and the right wing. The right wing should sue the GOI and foreign govts on the settlement issue outside of the aura of the GOI.
the phoenix Said:
I am not suprised. The GOI, the jewish institutions never attack or defend the jews against the lies of the international community. Upon seeing this behaviour from their leaders what should they think. If they cannot see their own govt, and institutions, defend that which is protected in international law then they look guilty. I never hear anyone say that Jews have a right to live in all YS. It is always pussyfooting around, talking security, stepping around the issue, etc. The GOI’s give the appearance of being thieves n the night and are the prime cause of the blood libels being hurled at the Jews regarding illegal settlement. The replies in Sderot are the natural outcome of incredibly poor Jewish leadership which perceives itself to be so sly and cunning in avoiding issues yet ends with the world chanting the blood libels as a mantra. How freakin smart is that? The enemies keep lying because the Jews keep ignoring the lies, reprising the role of the sly cowering Jew. Kick out the reps of countries who blood libel the jews and who call the jews thieves and murderers of children. Treat them as the POS anti semites that they are: despise them! Start with Ashton. Lieberman was a good pot roiler but needed more effective intellectual focus. A bad cop is needed.
Lawfare is also used as a tool, a ploy, a basis for unilateral action to confound the enemy until the smoke clears! Where’s that Jewish brain I hear so much about. Cant we chew gum and talk at the same time? Employ Shurat Ha’Din.
Bernard Ross Said:
a very polite dig, mr ross, but please understand that i was not being negative nor pessimistic when i said that i did not think that words alone will suffice.
i did not say that using lawfare should not be used.
hey!
if that would work, that would be great!
i just happen to think that using a 2×4 would bring more immediate and tangible results.
for the life of me, i fail to understand why israel should justify ANYTHING to the world instead of just go ahead and do it!
the problem, and i have said it different ways on many threads,is the lack of unity of the jews period.
the best example i could offer is an article written by feiglin titled “baffled in sderot” http://www.jewishisrael.org/eng_contents/articles/73/article7316.html
there, feiglin was in sderot, in a campain rally and he asked:
“I would like to ask what some of you may see as a strange question,” I said to the audience in the packed hall. “In the war that is raging right now (this was before the major fighting began on Wednesday) between us and the Gazans, who is right?”
The hall fell silent. The audience looked uncomfortable and curious.
“They are right,” one woman said.
“We are right,” said another.
Most of the audience just looked baffled.
i think this says it all.
the musloids are unfortunately winning because of their pavlovian response to ‘protect’ the kkkoran and to spread islam far and wide. they do not stop to think, ‘eh, ahmed, we cannot burn cars here…they belong to somebody,and what would happen if we blow up that building…the authorities will not be pleased…i’m telling you ahmed, don’t do it!’
look at the wall to wall sea of unwashed savages united by their hatred of the infidel and (fill in the blank)
i am saying that we should be like them in our CONVICTIONS! (damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!)
the world?
should not even be acknowledged. maybe a middle finger salute to acknowledge, and not more than that.
they’ll understand soon enough.
but let’s go back to the hall where feiglin asked that question.
is it not obvious how ‘doomed from the start’ ANY effort to fight the injustices towards the jewish people would be?
christ! in sderot (!!!) there are people that think that the musloids in gaza are right???
“huston, we have a problem”…
the phoenix Said:
Peace Now probably wonders every time they file a suit against the govt whether it would be successful and then, when successful whether the govt would obstruct the ruling an d make it ineffectual.
perhaps you are right, after all, when those who desire something the most are too pessimistic to undertake that which they have not yet tried then it is probably hopeless and must wait for a miracle. Let us hope that G_d does not only help those who help themselves.
Bernard Ross Said:
dear mr ross,
your point is very well taken.
like you, i would like to see the implementation of the san remo agreement with ALL THAT IT ENTAILS.
like you, i have been made aware of the overt and covert swindling of our nation by ‘friends and allies’ AND by our ‘dear leaders’…
i would be in favour of ANYTHING that would achieve this, as a fine result. as such, using strategies of the left to beat them at their own game would indeed be double sweet.
BUT,
when i see practically the entire judicial system – corrupt; the entire msm – corrupt; the few politicians that supposedly are on ‘our side’ being sidetracked and wasting time and effort on side issues that do not advance the cause…
i cannot help but wonder, even were lawfare successful it would be obstructed, and made ineffectual by ALL the powers that be (why isn’t the levy report being acted upon?)
so all this to say, that takchless, i don’t thin that words alone will suffice…
i would love it to be, but i don’t think it is enough.
@ Honey Bee:NO, but thanks for the heads up
@ Bernard Ross
Do you receinve Direct TV? Wens night they are the showing program Black Gold about the oil bussiness ect all in Midland, TX.
@ dionissis mitropoulos:
Twice is nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the phoenix Said:
The minority left accomplishes repeated success, including getting rid of politicians, using lawfare(e.g. indictments of politicians). Lawfare is a resource by which the minority can impose its will on a majority. Some minority goals are annexation, Jewish YS settlement and transfer.
Shy Guy Said:
Just a side comment regarding the evictions in Beit Ezra to which your link refers. I am reminded of those who do not wish to waste time and resources on ‘Lawfare”. Meanwhile we can just sit and ogle the success of the leftist enemy “peace Now” who accomplished the eviction, and many other successes, using lawfare. The leftists are a minority who is repeatedly demonstrating the value of lawfare.
the phoenix Said:
Only from the inside. Had a decent fraction, not even all, of the national religious voters joined the Likud years ago, anc consistently voted for the right people in the Likud primaries and for the Likud itself in national elections, we would not have Netanyahu today as Prime Minister. The math is not hard and the Likud bylaws actually make it simpler because of the heavier weight it gives Judean and Samarian Likud members in party primary elections.
But instead you will soon have another 3 or 4 years of stomping your feet and gnashing your teeth in the opposition bleachers and there will not be enough internal opposition from within the Likud to stifle Netanyahu. Hooray!
@ Honey Bee:
Honey Bee Said:
And, sometimes, you have to do it TWICE!
@ Shy Guy:
How do YOU see it happen, then?
This is Netanyahu #1
This is Netanyahu #2
If you think you can get rid of Netanyahu from the outside, you’re going to be very disappointed.
Returning to the topic on which we are supposed to be commenting, it is good news that they are at last getting on with the building development. They have had the pain of shrieks of criticism – let them now have the gain of much needed homes and further development.
some times you gotta do what you gotta do
Some times you gotta do what you gotta do!!!!!!!!!
@ l mansfield:
You could be right… But what if you’re wrong?
Any plans?
@ Bert:
Why are we kidding ourselves. The average person, including debka does not know what is happening and they don’t know that they don’t know. What we have here is speculation, guesswork, and the composition of pure fiction.
As these areas were never considered to be ceded in any agreement and as any west bank arab who conceded or reached a peace agreement with Israel would likely be assassinated,perhaps the “agreement” is actually taking place under the table before our very eyes in the guise of a dog and pony show primarily for the arab and Israeli street(including all the diplomatic noise). The biggest sign is the immediate Abdullah Abbas meeting and the reappearance of talks of confederation with Jordan now that there is a pal “state”(the aforementioned prerequisite in 1988, talks of Abdullah aligning with leftist and nationalist forces in Jordan,etc. I see de facto facts on the ground possibly with some annexation or just continuing to hold parts or all of C. If the noise gets bigger but there are no great sanctions then perhaps it is a done deal but happen over time. I think a major indication will be what Abdullah does in relation to Jordanian Pals(he has already immediately met with Abbas which is a sign of seeking credibility with the Pal street). If he increases their franchise it will be an indication of a deal that remains to be played out on the stage
Meanwhile Debka reports that Iran can make 24 nuclear bombs of the the size that destroyed Hiroshima. They removed the fuel rods from the Busher reactor and extracted the nuclear material. Debka claims that Israel was outsmarted and that in effect Iran now has the bomb and Netanyahu’s red line no longer has any meaning. I expect that Obama will now pretend that there is still more time to negotiate because Iran still has to make nuclear warheads and place them on their missiles. Of course Europe will be vulnerable because Iranian missiles can reach much of Europe. And at every turn our Jewish leadership in the U.S. and Israel has failed to properly counter Obama’s clever delaying tactics that have enabled Iran to get the bomb.