Israel Matzav

Government crisis over Beit El neighborhood?

This is how things happen in this country - a government crisis creates solutions. In this case, the crisis involves 30 homes - not caravans, but homes - in Beit El, which are under a threat of demolition by the end of this month next Monday. The homes were allegedly built on 'private Palestinian land,' but the residents claim that they purchased the land from its previous 'Palestinian' owners more than a decade ago and did not register the sale out of fear for the life of the 'Palestinian' seller. In the meantime, the government recognized the neighborhood and allowed the banks to issue government-subsidized mortgages to purchase houses there, a benefit to which all young couples in Israel are entitled.

Defenseless defense minister Ehud Barak - who needs to endear himself to enough of the Left to pass the 2% threshold to return to the Knesset in an election sometime in the next year and a half - is determined to demolish the homes, and is accusing those who oppose him of 'Feiglinism.' But this time, it's not just the likes of Yisrael Beiteinu who are opposing Barak - it's most of the Likud. And stuck in the middle is Prime Minister Netanyahu, who apparently wants to do the right thing, but cannot overcome his fear of Barak and Barack.

Vice Premier Moshe Ya’alon (Likud) warned on Saturday that the coalition would fall apart if the government made good on its pledge to demolish 30 homes in the Ulpana outpost, adjacent to the Beit El settlement, at the end of the month.

He was among a number of ministers who spoke out strongly over the weekend in favor of the outpost. Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) visited the families there on Friday morning.

Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat as well as MKs Ofir Akunis, Ze’ev Elkin, Tzipi Hotovely, Miri Regev, Danny Danon, Yariv Levin, Carmel Shama-Hacohen and Tzion Pinyan, all from the Likud, are expected to attend a meeting at Ulpana on Sunday evening along with hundreds of Likud central committee members.

Sunday’s event was organized by the Ulpana neighborhood residents task force – which includes Harel Kohen, a parliamentary assistant for National Union chairman Ya’acov Katz – as well as Moshe Feiglin’s Manhigut Yehudit group, and the National Camp in the Likud.

Likud sources said other ministers had planned to attend the event, but would not be able. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called a meeting of his security cabinet for the same time, a move seen by some as an attempt to lower the profile of the event.

“The neighborhood may not be removed,” Ya’alon said at a lecture in Beersheba.

“Totally normal people live there, and then suddenly they’re facing complaints because a Palestinian claims the land is his.

“If the Ulpana neighborhood is evacuated, the coalition will break apart,” the minister added.

Danon said that “only a left-wing government would evacuate this neighborhood. The Likud is facing a test it cannot fail.”

According to Danon, the threat to demolish homes in Beit El crosses a red line for pro-settlement Likud members, and will not be tolerated.

I would define 'Feiglinism' as having Jewish values and I am proud to be a 'Feiglinist.' And I would love to see this group in the Likud push Barak out of the defense ministry and replace him with Boogie Yaalon.

I want to post one more picture of the neighborhood so that you all understand that we're not talking about 'caravans' but real houses.
That looks a lot more permanent than what you think of when you hear the term 'settlement,' doesn't it?

Labels: Beit El, Binyamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Judea and Samaria

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:23 AM