United States demands of Israel were criticized by Israeli leaders Thursday night. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman echoed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's statement earlier in the week that Jerusalem is not a settlement, comparing it with his Judean Jewish community of Nokdim and historical last-stand points Gamla and Massada. Interviewed by Channel 2 television, he said Western countries don't understand the root of the conflict between Israel and the Arabs.
Chairman Ofir Akunis of the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee said "[US President Barack] Obama is exaggerating!" Akunis added that the current administration's Middle East policy is imbalanced and unfair. He said that when the "Forum of Seven" inner cabinet meets on Friday, it should say that does not accept the demand of no building in Jerusalem and that the time has come to present a list of demands to the Palestinian Authority.