Online News Agent

PM Binyamin Netanyahu responded to American demand to put an end to a housing project built in Jerusalem. His response was “Jerusalem is the unified capital of Israel and the capital of the Jewish people, and sovereignty over it is indisputable”. This was his response to US’ demand to stop the works on housing projects that are built in the dispute area.

Netanyahu added: “Hundreds of apartments in the west of the city were purchased by Arabs and we didn’t get involved. There isn’t’ any prohibition against Arab residents buying apartments in the west of the city and there is equally no prohibition barring the city’s Jewish residents from buying or building in the east of the city,” Netanyahu said, adding “That is the policy of an open city that is not divided”.

Netanyahu went on about how he could not accept the notion that Jews will not be able to buy apartments specifically in Jerusalem. He said that if this situation was to happen in purchasing apartments in New York or London, an international outcry would burst.

Mahmoud Abbas was reported to tell Americans how allowing Jewish housing in the Muslim neighborhoods would shift the demographic balance in east Jerusalem.

The compound, acquired by American businessman Irwin Moskowitz in the 1980’s, originally belonged to Amin Al-Husseiny, a Mufti Haj, and later functioned as a hotel (between the years 1945-1967, this period was ended by the Six Day War).

Most recently the site was rented to Jerusalem border police, and functioned as a base.

My opinion is that Netanyahu’s response might get Israel in some hot water. The US government might fail to see that Netanyahu’s comments are an attempt to win some public support, from both camps. The right wing is welcoming Netanyahu’s refusal to give up territories in Israel’s capitol, while the left openly embraces the Prime Ministers invitation for a co-existence of Israel’s and mostly Jerusalem’s Jewish and Muslim communities.

Critics accuse Netanyahu of possibly drawing in unnecessary heat on US government’s, and setting back the peace process by a few more steps.

Currently the only option the people of Israel have is to wait and see how this all turns out. The PM is clearly following an instinct of his own, while every one just stand beside, waiting for the conclusion.
This is not Netanyahu’s first time as a prime minister, and he is now trying to act differently, mending the mistakes of the past, in search for common appreciation, or maybe something all together different, it seems that only time will tell.