The Knesset Land of Israel Caucus called on the Israeli government to build across the country Wednesday, following Donald Trump's election as President of the United States.
Caucus co-chairman MK Yoav Kish (Likud) opened the caucus meeting with a reference to this year's Republican Party platform, which called for the US embassy to be moved to Jerusalem. "We believe that the policy of freezing (construction) and preventing the expansion of settlements has ended. We will stop talking about 'two states' and start talking about building, settlements, and sovereignty. We have a stable national government, but international pressure has prevented us from implementing the policy we wanted. Today that has begun to change in a significant way."
Kish added: "We appreciate President Obama's support for Israel-whether it be in the recent military aid package or the prevention of one-sided resolutions against Israel at the UN and other international institutions. We are confident that he will not force upon the incoming president a different political situation than the one that exists today."
The other co-chair of the caucus, Bezalel Smotrich, said that "It is no secret that for the last four years the Prime Minister has hesitated when it came to developing the settlements due to American pressure. This is over. The new president represents a different policy.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said that if Trump moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, it would be "a great gift (in honor of) the jubilee of the reunification of the city."
The 50th anniversary of the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem will take place next year.
MK Mickey Zohar cautioned that the time to discuss building in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, was after Trump replaces Obama as president. "I suggest patience. Trump will take office in only two months, and then we can talk about it.