MK (Ichud HaLeumi) Yaakov Katz is threatening Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu with a protest involving community leaders and mayors of communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron, angered over the government’s “betrayal” of right-wing voters.

The recent anger among right-wing lawmakers was sparked by announcements from the government that it is permitting limited construction throughout Yehuda and Shomron, with leaders of the communities insisting this simply refers to already-planned construction and nothing new. It also refers to construction in settlement blocs, representing a very limited number of housing units in a small number of communities, despite the widespread shortage of homes.

Katz insists he will launch a major opposition from within the ranks of the right-wing, labeling the policies of the Netanyahu administration as “wicked”, unwilling to accept the decrees which are contrary to the prime minister’s campaign promises. Katz told the press he and others will begin a hunger strike outside the Prime Minister’s Office, stating the decision to build appears more in line with a Labor Party decision that a Likud-led government.

Ketzaleh went on to explain that Netanyahu is not the continuation of Menachem Begin, but possibly Ehud Olmert and Ariel Sharon, rejecting the government’s discriminatory policy aimed at Jews, because they are Jews. He explained that Muslims and Christians are permitted to build, while Jews are not, adding “one day, be may face charges for crimes against the Jewish People for his actions”.

Katz feels the prime minister is very image-orientated and as such, right-wing mayors and leaders staging a hunger strike may ‘speak to him’ and compel him to take action, for he is certain image is the key for our national leader. The opposition MK did not spare words of criticism for the housing minister, Ariel Atias of Shas, who he explained is exhibiting a willingness to participate in the discriminatory policy of the government, namely the prime minister and defense minister.

In total, permits have been issued for 455 housing units. The permits do not include Maale Adumim, Efrat and Ariel, major population centers in Yehuda and Shomron, but they include Modi’in Illit, Keidar, Maskiot, Along Shvut and a number of other communities. Yaakov Guterman of Modi’in Illit explains over 1,000 housing units are under construction, explaining his community is relatively fortunate and construction is more or less moving ahead. There have however been major delays, the result of Arabs and the left-wing challenging the right to build on area land parcels in the Supreme Court. The army recently lifted a freeze, giving approval to move ahead on some of those disputed areas.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)