BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his belief in Israel’s right to build in Jerusalem amid criticism by the United States and the UK over his government’s approval for construction plans in East Jerusalem.

A decision was taken earlier this week by the Interior Ministry in conjunction with the Jerusalem Municipality’s District Planning and Construction Committee, to permit plans for 1,500 housing units in the Ramat Shlomo neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. Initial plans for construction at Ramat Shlomo had received approval in March 2010 and an official at the Prime Minister’s Office emphasised to Haaretz, “These are not new homes… This is just another planning stage, not the beginning of construction.”

However, the announcement was sharply criticised yesterday by the US State Department, whose spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, “We are deeply disappointed that Israel insists on continuing this pattern of provocative action.” In a similar statement, Foreign Secretary William Hague called on Israel’s government to “reverse this decision” and termed the announcement “a serious provocation and an obstacle to peace” which “If implemented … would make a negotiated two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, very difficult to achieve.”

Netanyahu, on a visit yesterday to the northern city of Acre yesterday asserted Israel’s right to construct in East Jerusalem, saying “Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the state of Israel, and we will continue to build there.” He said that Israelis overwhelmingly believe in a “united Jerusalem.”

Indeed a poll released earlier this week, commissioned by the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs and conducted by the Dahaf Institute indicated that 67 per cent of voters intending to support the Labour Party and Yesh Atid would not support a party willing to divide Jerusalem.

This morning Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni told Israel Radio that “The Likud is exposing Jerusalem to international condemnation for electoral purposes.” At the same time though, she emphasised Israel’s right to build in Jerusalem, saying “I myself built in Jerusalem … and I will protect it in any diplomatic negotiations.” Livni noted that during her time in government East Jerusalem construction differed from today as “we were building alongside a diplomatic effort to reach a solution.”

Meanwhile, Maariv this morning quotes a Likud source saying that the approval of construction projects in East Jerusalem is part of the party’s election strategy.