The White House has confirmed U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted the Israeli government rationale expressed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for construction of a new town for the homeless residents of the former Binyamin community of Amona.
White House official on Israeli settlement announcement pic.twitter.com/tRx7zKVuj0
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 30, 2017
“We would note that the Israeli prime minister made a commitment to the Amona settlers prior to President Trump laying out his expectations, and has consistently indicated that he intended to move forward with this plan,” said the statement released by the White House and reported by TIME Magazine journalist Zeke Miller.
Late Thursday night, Israel’s security cabinet unanimously voted to approve construction of a new town for the residents of Amona, nearly two months after their homes were destroyed by order of the Supreme Court. The decision was handed down after a long-fought court battle by leftist groups on behalf of the Palestinian Authority claiming part of the town was built on land that was privately owned by PA citizens.
During a visit to the White House by Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump asked the Israeli leader to “hold back a little” on settlement construction until an understanding could be reached between their two governments.
Since that meeting, U.S. presidential envoy Jason Greenblatt has visited Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan to discuss the matter, meeting with Israel’s prime minister at least three times during his stay in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu sent two high-ranking officials to Washington DC to continue the meeting with Greenblatt, together with Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer.
Numerous Israelis now fear that Washington’s acceptance of the new town for the homeless residents of demolished Amona may be coming at the cost of a new construction freeze imposed on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria — a swap denied by Israel’s prime minister.
However, whether such a deal is partial or full, unstated or public, any form of freeze on the basic right to a normal life in the Jewish communities beyond the 1949 Armistice Line would be deeply resented by anyone affected.