BICOM

Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni have both voiced their opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that he will advance plans for around 1,000 new housing units in Jerusalem neighbourhoods beyond the pre-1967 borders.

Netanyahu yesterday issued a directive to advance the construction of 660 units in the Ramat Shlomo neighbourhood in northern Jerusalem and 400 units in Har Homa in the southeast of the city. Although the announcement does not signal imminent construction, US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said that Washington is “certainly deeply concerned” by the announcement, while Jordan called for a UN Security Council debate on the issue.

Channel Two reported over the weekend that Netanyahu had agreed a deal with Jewish Home leaders to provide greater support for construction beyond the pre-1967 borders in return for coalition quiet. Coalition chairman, Likud MK Ze’ev Elkin yesterday indicated such political considerations, commenting that construction “is no less important to us in Likud, than it is to Jewish Home. It has always been our flag.”

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s announcement was condemned by Lapid, head of the largest coalition faction Yesh Atid. He told Ynet that, although “I’m not against building within the settlement blocs,” areas which it is assumed will remain under Israeli sovereignty as part of any peace deal, construction beyond the pre-1967 borders “creates a breakdown and degrades Israel’s status with the Americans and the rest of the world.” Similarly Hatnuah leader Livni, Israel’s lead negotiator in peace talks earlier this year commented, “Plans for more construction, even if it’s in the settlement blocs, under such sensitive circumstances that we find ourselves in, is irresponsible from both a diplomatic and security standpoint.”

A statement from the opposition Labour Party said, “Netanyahu is selling the State of Israel’s diplomatic interests in exchange for a few more months in the prime minister’s chair” and called on Lapid and Livni to “to draw the appropriate conclusions and to do what is necessary” by resigning from government.