A decision by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow for the expansion of Jewish settlements has elicited an angry response from Arab leaders, who warn it could bring the peace process to a halt.
At its weekly Cabinet meeting last Friday, the government cleared the way for the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, effectively reversing building restrictions imposed by the Labor-led government four years ago.
But in an apparent effort to stave off criticism on the delicate settlement issue, the Cabinet did not approve any specific building projects and said all settlement construction plans would require special advance government approval.
The Cabinet decision appeared aimed at satisfying settlers while not angering the United States and Israel’s Arab neighbors, which consider settlements an obstacle to advancing the peace process.
“We have not adopted any new kind of policies or initiative. We have given ourselves room to maneuver,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying at the Cabinet meeting.
Settler leader Pinchas Wallerstein said the Cabinet move indicated that Netanyahu would be more sympathetic to settlers than the previous Labor-led government.
But he expressed disappointment that no construction projects were approved.
The Netanyahu government consulted with the United States, Jordan and Egypt before reaching its decision regarding settlement growth, according to the Israeli daily Ha’aretz.
The Cabinet decision came before Netanyahu’s foreign policy adviser, Dore Gold, met last Friday in Washington with Secretary of State Warren Christopher to discuss the settlement issue.
A State Department spokesman later said that the United States was seeking clarification of the Cabinet decision.
In Israel, Palestinians and the left-wing Peace Now group denounced the decision as a violation of the accords signed by Israel and the Palestinians.
“The government is pushing the situation to a confrontation,” said Palestinian peace negotiator Hassan Asfour. “If they continue in this way, the peace process will face a big danger.”
Egyptian Foreign Minister Amre Moussa warned in an interview published in Ha’aretz that Israel “cannot have both peace and settlements.”
“Israel cannot have it all,” he added.
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