5TOWNS JEWISH TIMES December 4, 2009
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BY SAMUEL SOKOL
On Wednesday evening last week,Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuof Israel announced the implementa-tion of a settlement freeze. Accordingto Netanyahu, the freeze will includea“suspension of new [building] per-mits and new construction in Judeaand Samaria for a period of tenmonths.”The prime minister stated, “Thegovernment of Israel is taking a very big step towards peace today.”The Palestinian Authority respond-ed negatively to Netanyahu’soverture,with the PLO’s chief negotiator, Dr.Saeb Erakat, announcing that “Israel’srefusal to implement a full settlementfreeze fell far short of its obligationsunder existing agreements and inter-national law,and far short of the min-imal requirements for a genuine peaceprocess to resume.”“Rather than a full settlementfreeze, Israel is proposing a series of ‘exceptions’ to a full freeze that allowfor continued settlement construc-
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Israel AnnouncesFreeze; JNFHelping BuildNew PA City
Mesika calledthe governmentdecision a“racist decree.”
Photo By Yoni Kempinski (INN)
Shomron Mayor Gershom Mesika tearsup the freeze order in front of an IDF messenger and the media.
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December 4, 2009 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES
tion, especially in and around occupiedEast Jerusalem. There is nothing new inthis announcement and no change inthe status quo of settlements, occupa-tion, and Israel’s daily violations of inter-national law that remain the majorobstacle to peace,” Dr Erakat said.Government messengers began deliv-ering copies of the freeze order to munic-ipalities throughout Judea and Samariathis week. Several mayors, includingGershon Mesika, head of the SamariaRegional Council, tore up the orders asthey arrived.Mesika called the government deci-sion a “racist decree,” complaining that Arabs are building illegally throughoutSamaria without government interven-tion. Mesika further stated that it is “very disturbing that on the 29th of November,[the anniversary of] when the UnitedNations recognized [the Jewish] right tothe land of Israel [in 1947], the govern-ment of Israel issues such orders to hurtthe settlement movement.” Mesika hasaccused Netanyahu of “choking the set-tlement enterprise.”Protesters from the settlement move-ment have attempted to block buildinginspectors from the Civil Administrationfrom entering several settlements. RanNachman, mayor of the city of Ariel, hascalled on his colleagues throughoutJudea and Samaria to cut their ties withthe defense ministry and has publically stated that he will not be actively enforc-ing the building freeze. The mayor statedthat the Civil Administration can do as itlikes, but will receive no active aid fromhis office.The Civil Administration is the branchof the Defense Department in charge of all the activities regarding thePalestinians and Jewish settlement inJudea and Samaria. When asked aboutMayor Nachman’s comments by the
FiveTowns Jewish Times
,aspokesperson forthe Civil Administration replied that thefreeze “is a government decision and weare committed to carrying it out.”Civil Administration inspectorstoured 30 communities on Monday, issu-ing 50 work stoppage orders andimpounding four pieces of mechanicalengineering equipment that were usedin ground preparation work, includingthe drilling of foundations. The inspec-tors visited over 40 additional communi-ties on Tuesday and issued 14 more stop-work orders.The only construction permitted to beundertaken during the freeze is the fin-ishing of structures whose foundationshave already been laid. The air force con-ducted fly-over reconnaissance missionsabove settlements to document theircurrent size photographically.The prime minister has promised “toenable normal life for the 300,000 Israelicitizens, our brothers and sisters, wholive in Judea and Samaria,” stating thatthe freeze “will not include the schools,the kindergartens, the synagogues, andpublic buildings necessary for the con-tinuation of normal life over the periodof the suspension.”Oded Revivi, the mayor of Efrat inGush Etzion, responded skeptically toNetanyahu’s claims. Mr. Revivi said thatsince all permits for public buildingmust now go through the overworkedCivil Administration headquarters in BetEl rather than the mayors, the pace of approval for necessary infrastructureprojects will slow down considerably.Furthermore, says Revivi, the money forpublic building comes from fees paid forcivilian building permits, which will nolonger be granted during the freeze.
Settlement Freeze
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The only construction permitted to be undertakenduring the freeze is the finishing of structures whosefoundations have already been laid.
Protesters blocking path of entry for government building inspectors at the town of Revava in Samaria.
Photo By Eli Rosenfeild
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5TJT Freeze
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