Amidst the paucity of information surrounding the Barak-Mitchell meeting in London on Monday, the Maariv newspaper reported that Israel’s Defense Minister succeeded in persuading the US Middle East envoy to allow Israel to complete the construction of 2,500 partially-built housing units.
The paper took an upbeat tone in reporting that Barak informed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and four other senior government ministers of the decision upon his return on Tuesday from London. It said the news was “surprising” and in “total opposition to recent American declarations” regarding Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria (the Yesha Council).
'Just a trick'
However, “this news is far from good, and is in fact very grave,” said the Chairman of the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria, Danny Dayan
"It is nothing more than a trick," he told Israel National News. “Everyone knows it’s impossible to stop construction that has already started. These buildings are not being put up by the government; they are all private construction. There is no legal way to stop private construction. I therefore suspect that Barak released this news as if it was a great achievement because he is preparing the way for a major construction freeze in the future. This is not good news at all."
The Maariv report, which was quoted by UPI and has not been confimed elsewhere, concerns 700 partially built structures, containing a total of 2,500 units. It was later denied by U.S. State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly.
The senior government ministers who were briefed by Barak were Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor, Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon, and Minister without Portfolio Benny Begin.
Israel also received assurances from the United States, the newspaper reported, that it would not demand a total settlement freeze before the start of peace talks.
Yediot Acharonot quoted a government minister who wished to remain unnamed, who accused Barak of offering to destroy the Jewish outposts in Judea and Samaria "in exchange for nothing."