Lapid: I could make deal with US to build in settlement blocs
Yesh Atid leader says as prime minister, it would take him ‘three weeks’ to clinch agreement with Washington
Marissa Newman is The Times of Israel political correspondent.
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid on Monday boasted he could make a deal “tomorrow” with the US to approve Israeli construction in the main settlement blocs, in exchange for a freeze on building in isolated West Bank settlements.
In a meeting of the Knesset’s Land of Israel caucus, Lapid said residents of the settlements of Yitzhar and Tapuah ought to step forward and recommend that construction be accelerated in more densely populated areas such as Ma’ale Adumim, which would likely be annexed into Israel in the event of a future peace deal.
“I’m telling you that it’s possible to go tomorrow to the Americans and close a deal,” he said. “If I were prime minister, within three weeks, I could close a deal that says we formally freeze [construction] outside the blocs — in exchange for building within the blocs, Gush Etzion, Ma’ale Adumim, Ariel.”
The US is opposed to settlement construction, both in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and routinely condemns renewed building efforts in those areas. While there is no official construction freeze in place currently, residents complain that they have been barred from building due to international pressure.
The Yesh Atid leader added that Israel is not building because “there is no diplomatic process,” and any construction would “create a diplomatic crisis that will harm national security.”
Monday’s meeting focused specifically on the standstill in construction in the West Bank city of Ma’ale Adumim.
“The residents of Yitzhar and Tapuah should have been the first to come and tell the government that if because of us, there is no construction in Ma’ale Adumim, then we are willing to give it up because anyway, there is no construction by us,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Yisrael Beytenu leader slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for refusing to build in Ma’ale Adumim, saying “Netanyahu will not approve a single housing unit.”
“Bibi [Netanyahu] is strong on TV and weak in reality, speaks forcefully with his slogans, but has no actions [to back it up],” Liberman charged. “The freeze in Ma’ale Adumim is a direct result of that. And in Pisgat Ze’ev and in the other Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem there is no construction — zero construction.”
He urged the Likud MKs to give Netanyahu an ultimatum — build in Ma’ale Adumim or the lawmakers won’t vote in favor of the next state budget.
Lapid and Liberman also teamed up last week to condemn the prime minister’s foreign policy.
Likud members present at the meeting lined up in favor of building in Ma’ale Adumim. as well as the rest of the West Bank.
“We must build in the entire land of Israel, in Ma’ale Adumim and in Judea and in Samaria, and not hold back the diligent citizens sent to build up the land,” said Welfare Minister Haim Katz.
