(Special to APN by Daniel Seidemann and Lara Friedman)
On 3/9/10 - just in time for the visit to Israel of Vice President Biden and just a day after Special Envoy George Mitchell announced that Israel and the Palestinians had agreed to indirect talks - news broke in the Israeli press that Israel had approved the construction of 1600 new settlement units in East Jerusalem. The decision was strongly condemned by the US, the Palestinians, and the members of the international community. The Arab League, which the previous week had endorsed indirect talks, announced that it would meet March 10 to consider its reaction to the decision.
On 3/9/10 - just in time for the visit to Israel of Vice President Biden and just a day after Special Envoy George Mitchell announced that Israel and the Palestinians had agreed to indirect talks - news broke in the Israeli press that Israel had approved the construction of 1600 new settlement units in East Jerusalem. The decision was strongly condemned by the US, the Palestinians, and the members of the international community. The Arab League, which the previous week had endorsed indirect talks, announced that it would meet March 10 to consider its reaction to the decision.
(For a map showing the location of the planned construction, click here. For complementary reporting on the plan from Peace Now Settlement Watch director Hagit Ofran - and another map - click here.)
The facts of this matter: The settlement in question in Rekhes Shuafat (aka Ramat Shlomo). The plan in question is Plan number 11085. The plan was originally for 1300-1400 units (although it erroneously appears on the Municipal computer as 650 units). The plan as approved today includes 1400 units, with another 200 tacked on for low income housing. What happened today was not/not final approval. What it was a decision to deposit the plan for public review - a significant, but not irreversible - step toward final approval. It should be emphasized that this is a government plan, not a private plan. This means that the government has 100% control over whether the plan moves forward. The government could withdraw the plan at any time, if it wanted to do so. Under similar in circumstances in 1995 this is precisely what then-Prime Minister Rabin did.
The Context: This has been reported by many as a deliberate slap in the face to Vice President Biden by the government of Israel. The facts are less clear. From what we understand it seems almost certain that Prime Minister Netanyahu did not know about the plan or have advance warning that it would be considered and approved for public review at this time. Likewise, this is not the sort of thing that comes under the authority of Mayor Barkat. If the timing of this approval/announcement was deliberate, than the culprit here is more likely Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) and/or right-wing officials in the Interior Ministry bureaucracy. (For interesting reporting, see Ynet: PM demanded no surprises from Yishai during Biden visit).
Netanyahu's Responsibility: All that, of course, does not absolve Netanyahu of responsibility. One would think that given the Gilo fiasco (that preceded the announcement of the settlement freeze) and subsequent "surprises" in Jerusalem, senior officials in the Prime Minister's office would by now have demanded that, as a matter of course, they review the agendas for the planning committees in advance. Failure to do so at this stage of the game can only be viewed as gross negligence or, worse yet, a deliberate policy of preferring not to know, so as to not be expected to act.
Looking Ahead: It is tempting to view this incident as just another in a series of Jerusalem-related skirmishes between the Obama administration and Netanyahu. This is far from being the case. The approval of this plan has all of the markings of a formative "watershed" event: its publication was so humiliating to the Administration and to the Palestinians, its impact on an already struggling political process so pernicious, that it is correctly perceived as intolerable behavior not only in the international community but within Israel (Haaretz: The Slap Heard Round the World, Ynet: Defense ministry sources: East Jerusalem housing approval hurts peace talks). If left unattended the message to Israel will be clear: if the American Vice President (or President) is in Israel, don't announce new Jerusalem settlement plans. Any other time, go ahead.
It is now abundantly clear that with or without a formal declaration from Netanyahu, getting events in Jerusalem under control - which includes a de facto full-stop settlement freeze in Jerusalem - is no mere discretionary gesture but a political imperative. Failing that, this political process will be stillborn.
The facts of this matter: The settlement in question in Rekhes Shuafat (aka Ramat Shlomo). The plan in question is Plan number 11085. The plan was originally for 1300-1400 units (although it erroneously appears on the Municipal computer as 650 units). The plan as approved today includes 1400 units, with another 200 tacked on for low income housing. What happened today was not/not final approval. What it was a decision to deposit the plan for public review - a significant, but not irreversible - step toward final approval. It should be emphasized that this is a government plan, not a private plan. This means that the government has 100% control over whether the plan moves forward. The government could withdraw the plan at any time, if it wanted to do so. Under similar in circumstances in 1995 this is precisely what then-Prime Minister Rabin did.
The Context: This has been reported by many as a deliberate slap in the face to Vice President Biden by the government of Israel. The facts are less clear. From what we understand it seems almost certain that Prime Minister Netanyahu did not know about the plan or have advance warning that it would be considered and approved for public review at this time. Likewise, this is not the sort of thing that comes under the authority of Mayor Barkat. If the timing of this approval/announcement was deliberate, than the culprit here is more likely Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) and/or right-wing officials in the Interior Ministry bureaucracy. (For interesting reporting, see Ynet: PM demanded no surprises from Yishai during Biden visit).
Netanyahu's Responsibility: All that, of course, does not absolve Netanyahu of responsibility. One would think that given the Gilo fiasco (that preceded the announcement of the settlement freeze) and subsequent "surprises" in Jerusalem, senior officials in the Prime Minister's office would by now have demanded that, as a matter of course, they review the agendas for the planning committees in advance. Failure to do so at this stage of the game can only be viewed as gross negligence or, worse yet, a deliberate policy of preferring not to know, so as to not be expected to act.
Looking Ahead: It is tempting to view this incident as just another in a series of Jerusalem-related skirmishes between the Obama administration and Netanyahu. This is far from being the case. The approval of this plan has all of the markings of a formative "watershed" event: its publication was so humiliating to the Administration and to the Palestinians, its impact on an already struggling political process so pernicious, that it is correctly perceived as intolerable behavior not only in the international community but within Israel (Haaretz: The Slap Heard Round the World, Ynet: Defense ministry sources: East Jerusalem housing approval hurts peace talks). If left unattended the message to Israel will be clear: if the American Vice President (or President) is in Israel, don't announce new Jerusalem settlement plans. Any other time, go ahead.
It is now abundantly clear that with or without a formal declaration from Netanyahu, getting events in Jerusalem under control - which includes a de facto full-stop settlement freeze in Jerusalem - is no mere discretionary gesture but a political imperative. Failing that, this political process will be stillborn.