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1. Cabinet Approves Building Freeze
by Hana Levi Julian
The Security Cabinet approved a request by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Wednesday night for a 10-month construction freeze in Judea and Samaria.
In a statement released to the media, Netanyahu said he was making the proposal "as part of the efforts to give momentum to the peace talks with the Palestinian Authority" and to "advance Israel's comprehensive national interests."
The freeze includes a 10-month suspension of new residential construction permits and all new residential construction starts in Judea and Samaria, which could include peripheral areas around the capital as well. This also means construction as simple as building a fence around a yard, a balcony on the second floor of a home, an extension to the back of a house, or even a porch or pergola over the front steps - if it is carried out anywhere in Judea and Samaria.
It reportedly will not apply to construction that has already been authorized, nor is it to apply to work on community buildings that are intended to maintain "normal life" in the settlements. In addition, the freeze is reportedly not intended to apply to any part of the city of Jerusalem, including the eastern neighborhoods.
"In the international circumstances that have been created, this step will promote Israel's broad national interests," he told the cabinet at the start of the meeting. "This is neither simple nor easy, but it has many more advantages than disadvantages. It allows us to place a simple fact before the world: The government of Israel wants to enter into negotiations with the Palestinians, is taking practical steps in order to do so, and is very serious in its intentions to promote peace," he said.
Leaders of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria are refusing to meet Thursday with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who came out in support of Netanyahu's proposal. "The aim is to open a window to renew negotiations with the Palestinians," Barak said in justifying his position on the plan. "I hope the Council of Judea and Samaria Communities' leadership, which is patriotic, responsible and serious, will understand the need for this decision at this time," he added.
"The Defense Minister has been harrassing Jewish communities for a long time before the decision to freeze construction and, in order to slow the pace [of constructio, things have gotten to the point that he even refuses to allow the building of classrooms and nurseries for toddlers," Council members said -- a fact that contradicts the claim that the freeze will not impact public buildings required to maintain "normal life" in the communities.
Council members pointed out, however, that "the address is the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu -- he is the one who made the decision on the freeze, he is the one who broke his election promise to the voters."
National Union Knesset members are furious over the prime minister's actions; party chairman MK Yaakov (Ketzaleh) Katz said Netanyahu is "spitting in the face of those who were promised only a year ago that he would lead a change from the expulsion policies of [former Prime Minister Arie Sharon." He called on Likud members to turn in their party membership cards and join the National Union instead.
MK Dr. Aryeh Eldad added bluntly, "The people of Judea and Samaria who were coaxed into voting for Prime Minister Netanyahu should tar and feather everyone who urged people to vote for the Likud."
His colleague MK Uri Ariel compared the proposed building freeze to the infamous British White Paper of 1939, which restricted Jewish immigration to Israel. "Malcolm MacDonald, author of the White Paper, can be proud. Seventy years after he published his anti-Semitic document, here comes the Israeli government and tries to follow in his footsteps," Ariel declared.
2. Proactive Response to Construction Freeze
by Hillel Fendel
In response to the government's decision, under American pressure, to freeze construction in Judea and Samaria for ten months, Land of Israel loyalists spent the night between Wednesday and Thursday adding temporary structures to various outposts throughout those areas.
The outposts specifically designated for the protest-construction are Ramat Migron, Shvut Ami, Maoz Esther, Reches Sela and Givat Egoz. These are outposts that have been repeatedly torn down by the army, and immediately rebuilt by their pioneer residents.
Ramat Migron is located just outside Migron on the Jerusalem-Beit El highway. Shvut Ami and Reches Sela are in the Shomron, Maoz Esther is near Kokhav HaShachar in the western Jordan Valley, and Givat Egoz is located near Neriah in western Binyamin.
The Komemiyut movement, one of the leading educational Land of Israel movements, announced last night, after the construction freeze decision, that it would now act to topple the Netanyahu government. Members of Komemiyut have taken a leading and decisive role in many nationalist-camp grassroots campaigns in the past.
“The Netanyahu government has once again become the executor of the extremist-left parties and organizations,” Komemiyut announced. “The new freeze is just another in a series of servile moves led by Netanyahu, beginning with his recognition of a terrorist Palestinian state, continuing with brutal destructions of outpost neighborhoods and the dragging of the IDF into the heart of public controversy, and ending with this miserable decision to freeze construction in Judea and Samaria.”
MK Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz (National Union) lashed out at Netanyahu, predicting that his firmness in standing up in favor of construction in Jerusalem would soon crumble as well: “There has not been one principled position that Netanyahu has not caved in on, so this one is next in line,” Katz said, “and then we will see [Minister Begin and Yaalon, who have lost their faith, weaken and fall in line with him. Only those who adhere to G-d and His Torah will be able to influence the eternal future of the Jewish Nation. I call upon the camp of Land of Israel loyalists to rally around the National Union party so that we can strive together for national leadership.”
3. PA: Israeli Settlement Freeze Not Enough
by Hana Levi Julian and Hillel Fendel
Palestinian Authority officials expressed dissatisfaction with Israel's unprecedented decision to stop Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria for ten months.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas released a statement through his spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudaineh, saying the freeze in Judea and Samaria was inadequate because it did not include Jerusalem.
This, while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was facing calls from within his own party to resign and from within his own government to recant the freeze.
"Jerusalem is the red line for the Palestinians and Arabs," Abu Rudaineh told reporters at a news conference in Argentina, where he and Abbas are travelling. "Any return to negotiations must be on the basis of a complete settlement freeze, and in Jerusalem foremost."
Hamas terrorists also expressed contempt for the Israeli cave-in, calling the freeze a "cosmetic decision without content." Sami Abu Zukhri, a spokesman for Hamas in Gaza, called on the PA not to be tempted to resume negotiations with Israel because of the decision.
Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat said that Netanyahu's latest move is not sufficient to enable a return of the PA to the negotiating table. Similarly, a top Abu Mazen aide said that the new Israeli position "is neither serious nor convincing."
4. US: Lukewarm Praise for Building Freeze
by Hana Levi Julian
The United States responded with lukewarm praise Wednesday night to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's announcement of a "painful but necessary" decision to freeze all new construction in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria in a last-ditch attempt to revive final status talks with the Palestinian Authority.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded within moments of Netanyahu's announcement, issuing a statement of approval for the decision. Middle East envoy George Mitchell added minutes later at a news briefing in Washington D.C. that "it falls short of a full settlement freeze," but still is "more than any other Israeli government has done before."
Clinton said in her statement, issued from her office at the State Department, that the decision by Israel's Security Cabinet would help "move forward toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," although she made a point of including the list of conditions Israel has yet to meet in order to satisfy the Obama administration's vision for Middle East peace.
"We believe that through good-faith negotiations the parties can mutually agree on an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an independent and viable state based on the 1967 lines, with agreed swaps, and the Israeli goal of a Jewish state with secure and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments and meet Israeli security requirements," said Clinton.
"Let me say to all the people of the region and world: our commitment to achieving a solution with two states living side by side in peace and security is unwavering," Clinton's statement concluded.
Mitchell also said that although the decision did not fully suit the United States, "we believe the steps announced by the prime minister are significant and could have substantial impact on the ground."
The envoy noted that the Netanyahu government was the first to freeze construction in Judea and Samaria. "For the first time ever, an Israeli government will stop housing approvals and all new construction of housing units and related infrastructure in West Bank settlements. That's a positive development."
The envoy said that the freeze was "more than any Israeli government has ever done before, and can help movement toward agreement between the parties." Mitchell later made a point of adding, "Nothing like this occurred during the Bush administration."
He added, however, "This is not an agreement with the United States, nor is it an agreement with the Palestinians. United States policy on settlements remains unaffected and unchanged. As the President has said, America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. We recognize that the Palestinians and other Arabs are concerned because Israel’s moratorium permits the completion of buildings already started and limits the effect of the moratorium to the West Bank – concerns which we share.
"The United States also disagrees with some Israeli actions in Jerusalem affecting Palestinians in areas such as housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes," Mitchell went on, in response to another question by a reporter. "The United States has not accepted and disagrees with any unilateral action by either party which could have the effect of preempting negotiations."
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also underscored the point in a statement released earlier in the day by his office: "This enables us to present the world with a simple truth: The Government of Israel wants to enter into negotiations and it is very serious about its intentions to advance peace."
Pan-Arab Involvement in the Process
Mitchell noted in his briefing that President Barack Obama's ultimate goal is to involve all of the Arab nations in the negotiation process with Israel, not just the Palestinian Authority. He also stressed that none of them have been expected to fully normalize relations with the Jewish State in return for her participation in the process.
"As I mentioned briefly in response to an earlier question and in my remarks, we have asked all of the Arab governments to join in the effort in support of the Arab Peace Initiative to take steps toward normalization of relations with Israel. We’ve not asked anyone to take the final step of full normalization.
"What we’ve asked is gestures, actions, statements and movement in that direction," he said. "For example, we are seeking, and we believe we’ve gotten a good response, to a multilateral track in which several governments of the region would meet to discuss regional issues that they have in common, such as energy and water, which would follow the resumption of direct negotiations. It won’t occur before then, but if direct negotiations can get underway, we believe this could occur.
"This would operate to the benefit of everyone in the region, whatever country they happen to live in, because it would help to deal with these important issues that they all face in common," Mitchell said. We think that increased contacts between political and nonpolitical leaders, cultural and other exchanges, trade relations and other forms of contact for mutual benefit, all of that can form an ever-strengthening web of support for the concept of normal relations throughout the region."
5. Yesha Council Heads Refuse to Meet Barak
by Hana Levi Julian
The heads of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria refused a request by Defense Minister Ehud Barak to meet with him in his office on Thursday.
Reiterating a decision made Wednesday, the members of the Yesha (Judea and Samaria) Council said in a statement, "The Defense Minister has, for a very long time, harrassed the Jews who live in Judea and Samaria, even before the decision to approve a building freeze was announced. He has even refused to approve construction of classrooms and nurseries for toddlers."
"The right person for us to be meeting with is Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the one who decided on the freeze, and who broke his election promises to those who voted for him. We have forwarded many requests to meet with him, but they have not been answered even once since he took office."
"For these reasons we have decided not to accept the Defense Minister's invitation," the Council explained.
Council Convenes Twice
Council members are slated to meet Thursday afternoon in Jerusalem for a second session, following an initial emergency meeting held Wednesday night to determine a response to the 10-month construction freeze announced by the prime minister.
Chaired by Council Chairman Danny Dayan and Likud MKs Danny Danon and Tzipi Hotobeli, Wednesday's session focused primarily on ways to raise public awareness of the dangers presented by the freeze. A public relations campaign combining pressure on cabinet ministers, Knesset Members and coalition members, along with demonstrations and sit-ins, were among the recommendations presented at the meeting.
Remembering Joseph's Tomb
Samaria Regional Council head Gershon Mesika also sent a letter to every cabinet minister and the prime minister, demanding that a Jewish presence be resumed at Joseph's Tomb, close to Shechem, immediately. Mesika said the Samaria Regional Council would provide technical and strategic support for the move.
The decision made by the Security Cabinet to freeze all new residential building permits and halt all new residential construction starts in Judea and Samaria must still be ratified by a Cabinet vote on Sunday.
6. Gaza Terrorists Fire Five Mortars, No One Hurt
by Gil Ronen
Terrorists fired five mortar shells at Israel Thursday afternoon. They exploded in open, unpopulated areas within the jurisdiction of the Eshkol Regional Council. No one was hurt.
Chaim Yalin, Eshkol Regional Council Head, told Arutz Sheva's Hebrew service in response that “Hamas only recently announced it was ceasing rocket fire at Israel. We have experience with these things and know the reality.”
“As long as the Palestinians maintain the quiet, the State of Israel will also maintain it,” he said. “The terror organizations must understand that if they continue to fire then the IDF will respond. No country in the world would refrain from protecting its citizens.”
Yalin added sarcastically: "I would expect Judge [Richa Goldstone to begin to receive the latest reports, of the repeated fire by the terrorists on the communities of the Gaza Belt.” He was referring to the retired South African judge who complied a damning UN report against Israel's Cast Lead counter-terror operation.
7. Hamas: Shalit Deal is Stuck
by Hana Levi Julian and Dalit HaLevy
The Hamas terrorist organization is reportedly once again planning to reject a nearly-completed deal for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit and hundreds of Palestinian terrorists.
The newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported Wednesday that the rejection was leaked by a senior Hamas source who participated in a meeting of the terrorist leadership in Damascus the day before. The source said the organization's leadership had resolved to reject Israel's demand to change a list of prisoners Hamas had submitted as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange deal.
The report said there would be no chance of completing the deal without the release of top terrorists Ibrahim Hamad and Abdullah Barghouti, as well as other commanders of the military wing of Hamas. Both are responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israelis, and Jerusalem has refused to release them, even if the terrorist group agrees to exile them abroad.
Hamad served as commander of the military wing of Hamas in Ramallah during the Second Intifada. Abdullah Barghouti is the Hamas mastermind who prepared the explosives belts and devices used in suicide bombings in Jerusalem, including the attack on Cafe Hillel, the cafeteria at Hebrew University, the Moment Cafe and the Sbarro pizza restaurant, all of which also took place during the years of the Second Intifada. Barghouti, a relative of Fatah's Tanzim terrorist leader Marwan Barghouti, was also involved in the murderous attack on a hall in Rishon LeTzion.
According to the report, the Hamas delegation headed by Mahmoud Al-Zahar, and the head of the military wing, Ahmad Jabari, plans to submit the group's official response to the Egyptian and German mediators on Thursday. The senior Hamas source noted that the German mediator met with the Hamas delegation at the beginning of the week with additional new ideas from Israel that prompted the Hamas leadership in Gaza to go to Damascus for a decision.
Among these were the demand by Israel to change a number of names from the list of 450 prisoners serving long prison terms for brutal murders of Israelis, and whom Hamas has demanded be included on the list of those to be freed in exchange for Shalit.
The Hamas delegation informed the German mediator it was "absolutely opposed in principle, and totally resists any Israeli opposition to the release of any of the 450 prisoners on the list, and especially after the group recently agreed to a demand that some of the prisoners from Judea and Samaria would go instead to Gaza or to foreign Arab countries," said the senior Hamas source Wednesday evening, as he delivered the final negative response of the Hamas leadership.
A senior Hamas source in Egypt told the Al-Hayat newspaper that "none of the positions have changed, and Hamas did not make any new offers in the negotiations." He added that the talks appear to be continuing on a straight line: "It always seems as if the Israeli proposal is the maxiumum they can give, and we, for our part, try to check to see if it is really the maximum that can be reached."
Israel reportedly presented in the last round of talks a series of "creative" suggestions, as defined by Hamas, including:
* substituting names of prisoners in the same category that satisfied Hamas with similar prisoners
* accepting the principle of releasing "heavy prisoners" and shortening their sentences in order to release them within a number of years after the Shalit deal is complete
* exiling part of the prisoners abroad or to Gaza for a number of years .
A senior Hamas source said the terror group should consult with the organization's leadership in an Israeli prison before submitting a final answer on the proposal.
