Leaders of the Council of Settlements are seeking an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in light of the current situation in which the government is preventing badly-needed construction throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

It appears the prime minister’s support for Defense Minister Ehud Barak is unconditional, resulting in the building freeze. Last week, Barak flew to North America to meet with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell. On Sunday night, he leaves for Europe, scheduled to meet with Mitchell again, this time in London. Oddly, Barak is quoted by the media as expressing satisfaction over the “progress” in talks with Mitchell concerning the building freeze, while Israel is seeking to continue construction to accommodate natural growth.

The daily Yisrael HaYom reports Barak as telling his close associates that the relationship between the prime minister and himself is perhaps the best known between the two senior government officials in former governments. He reportedly tells colleagues “I feel the prime minister is giving me total backing and his trust, and I reciprocate”. He stressed that his relationship with Netanyahu is far better than existed between him with former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Barak believes that Kadima must make a move to join the coalition, adding a modicum of stability, a move that will also compel the Kadima rebel faction to fall in line.

Settlement Council leader Danny Dayan sent an urgent letter to the prime minister, urging to meet with him before Barak meets in London with Mitchell on Monday seeking to highlight the dire situation surrounding the building freeze in all Yosh communities.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)