Construction in Jerusalem's Har Homa (illustration)
Construction in Jerusalem's Har Homa (illustration)Flash 90

Despite his protestations to the contrary, it's become clear that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has implemented a “soft” building freeze in Judea and Samaria, Jewish Home MKs and heads of local authorities in the region charged Thursday.

In a letter to Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett, the MKs and local authority heads said that it was “time to take action” against the government.

Any current construction, the letter said, was the result of previously approved projects and new ones have not been approved in many months.

In their letter, the group said they expected party leadership “to implement political sanctions that will force the Prime Minister to cancel this building freeze and stand up for the national interests of the State of Israel by massive building in Judea and Samaria.”

Netanyahu himself hinted in a recent speech to the World Zionist Organization that a freeze was in place.

“I say things as they are, I manage it with responsibility, with building, amid obligations to the settlements, but also obligations not to allow a struggle, an international siege on us, a decision at the (UN) Security Council against the settlements, including sanctions. That isn't something good, not for the settlements and not for the state of Israel. I'm trying to prevent that.”

Local Authority heads also expressed criticism at Jewish Home MKs, they told Arutz Sheva. “It appears that they have made their peace with the building freeze, because we don't see them trying to do anything about it,” said one. “If they do not rise up and end this, we will suffer in future years.”