Minister of Environmental Protection, Ze'ev Elkin (Likud), addressed the Prime Minister on Sunday morning and raised the issue of building in Hevron as a possible response to the PA’s acceptance to Interpol.
Minister Elkin noted that beyond the immediate sanctions that we must impose on the PA, we must quickly advance the issue of building in Hevron.
"They cannot continue to incite against us and conduct a diplomatic war against us, and at the same time continue to receive gestures from us," he said. “We must immediately put an end to all special permits allowing for the passage of PA drivers, and cancel the other gestures from the past two years.”
“Construction in Hevron must continue and intensify," Science Minister Ofir Akunis (Likud) said, "Hevron is the city of the forefathers of the Jewish people, where our story began. There is nothing preventing, and there should be no impediment to, building in all parts of the city of Hevron under Israel's control. "
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) also addressed the issue when she entered the government meeting: "This is the time to strengthen the Jewish community in Hevron, also in light of UNESCO's decision, and in light of the fact that the mayor of the city has been convicted of murdering Jews and was released in the Jibril deal, " she said.
"There is a ready project, 'Hezekiah Quarter,'" she added. "I call on the prime minister to approve the marketing of that project."
Minister Ayoob Kara (Likud) also joined the calls to strengthen building in Hevron. "I am in favor of strengthening building everywhere in the Land of Israel. He who doesn’t build doesn’t stake roots," he said, adding that "Hevron is the city of our forefathers. Nothing is more important than its construction in order to demonstrate our connection to it."