The number of cabinet ministers and MKs who visited the Beit El protest tent at the Knesset Rose Garden this week is impressive, but for the leaders and residents of the community and leaders of Yesha communities, it may be nothing more than promises that will not be kept.

The persons manning the tent are aware of the painful reality; for Migron residents, who were promised new homes, it has been over five years. It has been years for the residents of the Ulpana neighborhood of Beit El too, and PM Netanyahu promised 300 homes for their agreement to leave without confrontation. However, despite seeing a bulldozer or two working on the new community of Amichai this week, they are aware this is a far cry from moving ahead on building a community to provide homes for the former residents of Amona. Nothing is being done regarding the Ulpana residents nor the residents of Migron.

In fact, the Yesha leaders are painfully aware that the Netanyahu administration is blessed with oratory skills but lacks much in the way of actual construction in areas of Yehuda and Shomron. Even today, with the election of the Trump administration in the United States, they accuse the administration of continuing the construction freeze in Yesha areas, an accusation the Prime Minister’s Office denies.

However, residents of the protest tent are aware that on 7 Menachem Av, the Knesset heads for summer recess and if things are not sped up, they will find themselves without a solution until at least after the three-month summer break.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)