The next diplomatic crisis between the US and Israel has arrived. On the eve of his departure for Washington, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved discussion of construction in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa.
Several hours ahead of President Barack Obama's policy speech on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and a couple of hours before Netanyahu himself flies to the US for a meeting with Obama on Friday, the Ministry of Interior regional planning and building committee will discuss the construction of 1,550 housing units in Har Homa in southeast Jerusalem and Pisgat Ze'ev in northeast Jerusalem, both neighborhoods over the 1967 "Green Line."
Discussion on these plans have already been postponed several times, and the cabinet secretary has now finally approved them at an especially sensitive moment.
One of the plans for the construction of 625 apartments in Pisgat Ze'ev was already approved last December, and today the committee is hearing public objections. This was the same plan that angered the Americans.
The second plan on the table includes 930 new homes in Har Homa's G neighborhood which breaks the continuity between the Arab village of Sur Bahir to the north of Har Homa and Bethlehem to the south.
Approval of construction on the eve of Netanyahu's trip to Washington or prior to the visit of senior US administration figures to Israel has become a regular habit. In March 2010, 1,600 housing units were approved during the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to Israel. Publication of the decision caused a crisis between Israel and the US. In November 2010, when Netanyahu was in Washington, 1,000 new homes were approved in Har Homa.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 19, 2011
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