Group of 21 MKs says any Israeli commitment to
a construction freeze in Judea and Samaria would be a "deal breaker" •
Letter comes in wake of reports that U.S. may demand freeze outside main
blocs • Kerry compliments Netanyahu for "brave" steps.
Reports say the U.S. may
demand an Israeli construction freeze outside the main settlement blocs
|
Photo credit: Reuters |
Right-wing deputy ministers and MKs sent a
letter on Thursday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on him
to not freeze construction in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
The letter followed reports that the U.S. may
demand Israel freeze settlement construction outside the main blocs as
part of a deal with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to
extend the ongoing peace negotiations by a year.
"We oppose any kind of freeze, including a
freeze 'outside of the blocs," and we will view any such Israeli
commitment as deal breaker," the letter said.
The letter was signed by 21 MKs from Likud,
Yisrael Beytenu and Habayit Hayehudi, including deputy ministers Ofir
Akunis (Likud), Zeev Elkin (Likud), Tzipi Hotovely (Likud), Danny Danon
(Likud), Faina Kirshenbaum (Yisrael Beytenu), Avi Wortzman (Habayit
Hayehudi) and Eli Ben-Dahan (Habayit Hayehudi).
The letter was an initiative of the Knesset's
Land of Israel Lobby, which is led by Likud MK Yariv Levin and Habayit
Hayehudi MK Orit Struck.
Struck said the letter showed that there is "a fortified wall inside the coalition against harming the settlements."
Opposition MKs criticized the letter.
Opposition chief Isaac Herzog (Labor) said, "Netanyahu is prime minister
in name only. In practice, the prime ministers are Elkin, Danon and
Akunis."
Herzog claimed that Netanyahu is "afraid to make decisions and is controlled with a string by the right wing of Likud."
Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On said, "Far-right
MKs, who threaten the prime minister against a settlement freeze, have
adopted the bullying tactics of 'price-tag' rioters."
A group of right-wing MKs, including Interior
Minister Gideon Sa'ar (Likud), attended an event on Friday morning in
the Jordan Valley to signal to Netanyahu that they would not agree to
any concessions in that area as part of a peace agreement with the
Palestinians.
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry met for a second day in a row in Paris with Abbas, as Kerry
continues to push for a "framework" for an Israeli-Palestinian peace
deal.
In an interview aired on Channel 2 on
Thursday, Kerry said that he remained "committed" and "determined" to
reaching a peace agreement.
The secretary of state complimented Netanyahu for "brave" steps he has taken in the peace process.
"I have no argument with anyone in Israel who
says that no deal is better than a bad deal," Kerry said. "I say that
myself. I'm not in the business of trying to put together a bad deal."
Speaking to the Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations on Thursday, President Shimon Peres said
that the primary goal of the peace talks with the Palestinians is "to
keep Israel as a Jewish state."
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told Israel Radio on Friday that Kerry's framework proposal would include recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.
"That has always been U.S. policy -- that Israel is a Jewish state and should remain a Jewish state," Shapiro said. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told Israel Radio on Friday that Kerry's framework proposal would include recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.
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