Israel's government announced yesterday the marketing tenders for 1,355 housing units in Judea and Samaria through the Israel Land Authority and under the direction of Minister of Construction and Housing Zeev Elkin.
David Singer: The decision by Israel’s new Government approving the possible construction of 863 Arab residential units in Area C of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) is a positive move by Israel as it battles incessant United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) pressure seeking to deny it the legal right to reconstitute the Jewish National Home there under article 6 of the Mandate for Palestine and article 80 of the UN Charter.
Minister of Defence Benny Gantz has approved the convening of the Higher Planning Council of the Civil Administration for approving about 2,000 housing units in Israeli communities, and almost 1,000 housing units for Arabs.
Israel Kasnett: More than 100 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. Secretary Mike Pompeo, expressing “strong disagreement” with the State Department’s new policy and urged him to “reverse this policy decision immediately.”
Stephen M. Flatow: The letter claims that the new U.S. policy could “lead to a more entrenched conflict.” More entrenched than a 100-year-long Palestinian Arab war against Jews and the existence of a Jewish state?
The responses were characteristically similar, with conservative groups lauding the long-desired position and liberal entities against what they feel is placing an obstacle on peace.
Melanie Phillips: Incendiary Jew-hatred has become the signature cause of “progressives,” who tell themselves that targeting Israeli settlements proves their own virtue by supporting a righteous cause.
