The Chicago-based grassroots Eretz Yisrael Committee of North America criticized Peace Now’s efforts to stop construction in Kochav Yaakov, located a few miles north of Jerusalem. Yosef Rabin, head of the pro-Israel organization, stated Wednesday that his organization “condemns the efforts of Peace Now to destroy the community of Kochav Yaakov located in the Binyamin region.”
Rabin added, “By categorizing the building of Kochav Yaakov as ‘criminal activity’ being perpetrated on ‘Palestinian Land’, [Peace Now director] Yariv Oppenheimer shows sublime ignorance of Torah, history and international law. The allegation of ‘criminal activity’ by Peace Now against Kochav Yaakov is a simply a libel against Jews who simple wish to build in the land of their forefathers and must be condemned.”