By JPOST.COM STAFF AND GIL HOFFMAN
10/03/2010 08:01
"The approval is a purely technical matter and we have no intention of insulting or seeking a confrontation with the US vice president," Yishai said of the filing of the plan to build 1,600 housing units in the northeastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo.
In an interview with Israel Radio, Yishai said that he regretted the timing of the decision, adding that if he had known about the matter he would have recommended that the announcement be delayed by a week or two.
However, the minister went on to say that he does not plan to cancel the building plan, since the government's construction freeze in the territories does not apply to Jerusalem.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday morning expressed his anger over the “unwarranted” announcement by the Interior Ministry committee.
The announcement cast a pall Tuesday night over the Biden's visit, with the vice president squarely condemning the move, and a statement from Barak's office said the publication at this current time was “damaging” to negotiations with the Palestinians, which it called "a vital Israeli interest.”
Defense Ministry officials added in the statement that Israel had acted for many months to build trust between the two sides in order to launch negotiations, and that “our practical steps should take this into consideration."
The plan calls for the southern and eastern expansion of Ramat Shlomo, a predominately haredi enclave that borders the Arab Shuafat neighborhood, and includes the upgrade of a road that leads into the neighborhood. The government’s 10-month moratorium on housing starts in the settlements does not apply to Jerusalem.
Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog said the announcement was a "big error in government bureaucracy that should never have happened."
Speaking to Army Radio, Herzog said Israel should apologize for "this severe mistake."
Also speaking to the radio station, Science Minister Bennie Begin defended the announcement.
"When would be a good time?" he asked rhetorically. "If it happened 10 days before, they would have said we did it to harm the visit of the US vice president, and if we did it 10 days later, they would have accused us of saying certain things while he (Biden) was here and acting differently afterward."
Kadima said the announcement "set a new record for diplomatic stupidity."
"[Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu has no control over his government, and without leadership, every minister does what he wants," the party said in a statement. "Netanyahu's games of political survival are damaging Israel's vital interests, and when even the defense minister criticizes his government, it's now official - Israel doesn't have a prime minister and the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing."
Kadima faction chairwoman Dalia Itzik hinted that the announcement showed it was time for Netanyahu to replace certain elements in his government with her party.
She said the timing of the move was "further proof" that Netanyahu must change his government that “always has another surprise is store," for a government that "can advance the peace process.”
Meretz said it would submit a no confidence-motion to the Knesset over the "massive building in east ," and over what it termed the "pyromaniac polices of the Netanyahu government"
In a statement, Meretz chairman Haim Oron said that “with its own hands, the government is turning its declared desire to resume the peace process into a sad and dangerous joke."Oron added that, “Attempts by cabinet ministers to cling to procedural failures and say that there were errors in timing and the approval process only serve to make the embarrassment worse. The problem is in the essence not the procedure.”
Although the announcement came during Biden’s visit to the country, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman stressed on Tuesday night that the timing of the decision was coincidental.
“There’s no connection,” the spokeswoman said regarding Biden’s visit. “This is a plan that has been drawn out and discussed for over three years, and it’s a process that will continue for a long time to come". The spokeswoman added that the public now had 60 days to file any formal objections to the Ramat Shlomo plan, which could stall the beginning of construction.
A spokesman in the Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday night that only that afternoon – following his first meeting of the day with Biden – had Netanyahu received word of the Interior Ministry’s approval.
The spokesman said the Palestinians should understand that this was the preliminary part of a long-term planning process, and that the homes were meant for an existing Jewish neighborhood in the city. As to the Palestinian threat to scuttle the proximity talks as a result of this move, the spokesman said that if the PA wanted to halt the negotiations, it could always find an excuse.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the building plans in a statement on Tuesday night, saying they undermine "any movement towards a viable peace process."
Abe Selig and Herb Keinon contributed to this report
Note: Amazing! In this entire article, no mention of Biden "condemning" Israel; no mention of the U.S./White House "condeming" Israel yesterday afternoon - while VP Biden is still a guest in Israel. Israel should be more concerned about what is best for her citizens and less worried about who may or may not be offended every time someone makes an announcement in her local newspapers.
The U.S. condemns Israel for building projects and Israel blames her own people for stating their goals while a foreign visitor is their guest ... all for the sake of "peace in the ME" process ...?? Gentlemen, stop playing games and get about doing what is best for the Israeli citizens - then there will be peace in Israel - with or without the assistance of other nations.
Bee Sting
