Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) on Friday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement saying that Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria are not an impediment to peace.
“President Trump’s statement that settlements are not the obstacle to peace is the most important statement made in a long time,” Erdan said.
“After years of deception, we have a president who understands that the real problem is the Palestinians’ refusal to accept the existence of the Jewish state. Therefore, when the entire settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria occupies about three percent of the territory, it is clear that this is a poor excuse. The Palestinians are refusing peace,” he continued.
“In this situation, it is time that the Palestinians realize that time, as well as their refusal to negotiate, are working against them, and therefore we have to resume construction in all parts of Judea and Samaria. Building only in the blocs and in Jerusalem (as the left wants) may determine in advance the results of any future negotiations and hurt for no reason hundreds of thousands of residents in many communities,” concluded Erdan.
Last week, the White House released a statement which said the Trump administration does not believe the existence of Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria is an impediment to peace, but which also asserted that “the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal.”
On Friday, in an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper, Trump appeared to urge Israel to cease building in Judea and Samaria.
"They [settlements] don't help the process. I can say that. There is so much land left. And every time you take land for settlements, there is less land left. But we are looking at that, and we are looking at some other options we'll see. But no, I am not somebody that believes that going forward with these settlements is a good thing for peace," he said.
At the same time, Trump stressed that he did not want to condemn Israel.
“Israel has had a long history of condemnation and difficulty. And I don't want to be condemning Israel. I understand Israel very well, and I respect Israel a lot, and they have been through a lot. I would like to see peace and beyond that. And I think that peace for Israel would be a good thing for the Israeli people, not just a good thing, a great thing," he stressed.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)