Israel Has Frozen East Jerusalem Settlements Since Beginning of 2013
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman responded on Monday to reports on Army Radio, which said there has been a de facto settlement freeze in Jerusalem neighborhoods located beyond the Green Line since the beginning of the year.
“One should view this as a temporary hiatus,” Lieberman said. “We have an interest in [Secretary of State] Kerry succeeding. You don’t always have to be right; you can also be smart.” Lieberman added that “during [Joe] Biden’s last visit it was also not right to release the tender. There is a proportional and correct approach here.”
Earlier on Monday, Army Radio reported that since the beginning of 2013 not one apartment has been marketed beyond the Green Line in Jerusalem, citing information it had obtained from the Housing and Construction Ministry. Sources at the Israel Lands Administration told the radio station they blamed the Prime Minister’s Office for the delay – the office is directly delaying marketing of plots for housing in East Jerusalem.
Read more at Haaretz.com.
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