Israeli housing minister: 'No more' settlement freezes

[Jefferson23]

Israeli Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel (HaBayit HaYehudi) chose to mark the opening of the 47th Jerusalem Day celebrations on May 27 at the prestigious Merkaz Harav rabbinical college, which is one of the emblems of religious Zionism. Before thousands of enthusiastic spectators, Ariel declared, “Jerusalem will never again be divided. There are and will be no more freezes [on settlement construction], and we will not put up with the delays or restrictions [on construction] in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. We will continue to build in all parts of our land.” Ariel sees his role in the government as an ideological mission, and thus makes the most of it. Prior to virtually each of US Secretary of State John Kerry's visits to Israel, Ariel took care to announce yet another new construction project, intent on sabotaging the talks.

Ever since what looks like the collapse of the negotiations, Ariel has had much to celebrate. And there is nothing like Jerusalem Day to display sentiments by making euphoric statements on the ongoing construction in the city. However, what Ariel and the other right-wing leaders apparently refuse to realize is that by their very rejection of the two-state solution and the division of Jerusalem they are sowing themselves the seeds of a binational state.

The 47th anniversary of the liberation of Jerusalem, just like any preceding year since the commencement of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians over two decades ago, weakens even further the ability of the two sides to bring an end to the conflict. As time passes, the reality in the city is becoming ever more complicated.

Last March, the Ir Amim association released a report examining the feasibility of a solution to the issue of Jerusalem — this, against the backdrop of the peace efforts by Kerry. The report draws a gloomy picture.

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Sign posts are seen in front of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Maale Adumim near Jerusalem, Nov. 13, 2013. (photo by REUTERS/Ammar Awad)

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/05/uri-ariel-jerusalem-day-two-state-solution-division.html#ixzz3380YyYZL

[Swede Atlanta]

1. Attention Israeli Housing Minister

No more American aid. I don't want another penny of my tax dollars going to pay for anything in Israel. Fend for yourselves.