Israel Matzav

Finally: Israel to build 4,300 housing units in Jerusalem

On Wednesday night, Prime Minister Netanyahu had what his office described as a 'friendly' phone conversation with American President Barack Hussein Obama. When Obama awakens on Thursday morning, he is likely to be in a much fouler mood 9and he might have even been awakened during the night in Washington to hear about this: Interior Minister Eli Yishai gave final approval on Thursday to the construction of 4,300 housing units in 'east' Jerusalem.

Yishai has reportedly green-lighted the construction of 1,600 housing units in the northeastern neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo alone.

Another plan will see 700 new housing units built in the adjacent neighborhood of Pisgat Zeev.

A third, 2,000-unit project is planned for Givat HaMatos, which is also beyond the Green Line.

The 'Green Line' is the common term for the 1949 armistice lines, so-called because they were green on the map (yes, really).

Those units are in addition to the 930 units in Har Homa that were approved last week.

But here's the best part: We can thank all those 'housing crisis' demonstrators supported by the New Israel Fund and billionaire peacenik S. Daniel Abraham for bringing this about.

Sources in the Interior Ministry said that Yishai views the projects as one of the solutions to Jerusalem's housing plight, adding that the recent induction of the National Housing Committees' Law, has allowed for the projects' authorization process to be accelerated.

Heh.

Haaretz has the story slightly differently. But only slightly.

Interior Minister Eli Yishai has given final authorization to build 1,600 apartments in East Jerusalem, and will approve 2,700 more in the next few days.

And yes, Netanyahu knew this was coming.

Ministry spokesman Roi Lachmanovich said Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office knew the construction plans in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in East Jerusalem were moving ahead.

This is a cold calculation by Netanyahu. Obama cannot refuse to veto the 'Palestinians' unilateral attempt for 'statehood' in the UN next month without seriously damaging - and maybe even destroying what is left of - his reelection chances.

Until this week, the Netanyahu government, which is a government of the Right, had not initiated a single housing unit in 'east' Jerusalem, let alone Judea and Samaria, in more than two and a half years in office. The 'Palestinians' have had their chances to come to the table and have refused. Now, they will have something to lose if they don't come to the table. The message is clear: We will build where we want and when we want, and if you wait for a freeze to come to the table, there just might not be anything left to discuss other than lots of 'demographic realities.'

This strategy is long overdue.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Campaign 2012, Givat HaMatos, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, Pisgat Zev, Ramat Shlomo, settlement freeze, unilateral declaration of statehood, US veto

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:52 AM