Housing Minister (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel admits to the media that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has frozen construction throughout Yehuda, Shomron and eastern Yerushalayim. Ariel told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) host Micha Friedman on Tuesday morning, 10 Tammuz 5773, “there is no marketing [of homes] in Yerushalayim at all with the exception of the Schneller complex [in Geula], where 400 units are under construction. Other than this project, nothing is going on. The same holds true throughout Yehuda and Shomron. In other areas, we are moving along nicely but in the areas I mentioned, we have a problem.”

Galei Tzahal:

How does Bayit Yehudi, which is responsible for housing, permit such a situation to continue?

Ariel:

I am not accepting this situation. While I am not working on it all day, I am devoting time and I believe there will be progress.

Ariel’s desk is full of buildings plans, including some already approved by the prime minister. there are plans from the eve of elections, when the prime minister threatened to move ahead with construction in response to the PA (Palestinian Authority) addressing the United Nations, seeking statehood recognition. Bottom line however, it appears the prime minister says all the right things but when it comes to actually building in Yerushalayim, Yehuda and Shomron, it is another matter entirely.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)