Haaretz Monday, October 6, 2014
White House: 'Odd' of Netanyahu to call our stance on settlements 'un-American'
White House resumes criticism of Israel's decision to continue settlement construction.
By Barak Ravid | Oct. 6, 2014 | 9:52 PM | 2
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily briefing on Monday
that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks that American
criticism of Israeli settlement construction was against American
values, “did seem odd.”
“It
did seem odd for him to defend Israel's position by saying US position
is un-American,” Earnest said. “American values are why this country's
support for Israel has been unwavering.” Earnest repeated the U.S.
criticism of settlement construction and said that continuing it “will
send a troubling message” about Israel’s intentions.
On Wednesday,
the White House and U.S. State Department warned that Israel's decision
to move ahead with the planning process of 2,600 new housing units in
Jerusalem's Givat Hamatos neighborhood, and the recent occupation of
some 25 apartments in Silwan, located near the Old City in Jerusalem,
will "poison the atmosphere" with the Palestinians and the Arab world.
Netanyahu
last week dismissed the recent White House rebuke of Israeli settlement
construction, telling Israeli reporters following his meeting with
President Barack Obama and again in an interview with CBS on Sunday that the criticism goes "against American values."
"I don’t understand that criticism and I can't accept that position," the prime minister told reporters early on Friday (Israel time) during a press briefing at the Palace Hotel in New York.
It is better to know the material before deciding to take such a stance," Netanyahu responded to the White House statement.
The prime minister was especially critical of the American condemnation regarding Silwan.
"Arabs
in Jerusalem are free to purchase apartments in the western [part of
the] city and no one is arguing against it," Netanyahu said. "I have no
intention of telling Jews they can't buy apartments in East Jerusalem.
This is private property and an individual right. There cannot be
discrimination – not against Jews and not against Arabs," he added.
"This goes against values that the United States also believes in."
Netanyahu
said that those who moved into the apartments in Silwan did so as
private citizens and not as part of a government plan. Buying a house
was a fundamental right, he said, adding that he will not allow for it
to change. "Every person is entitled to private property. No one stole
those houses or confiscated the property. Arabs are selling houses to
Jews and Jews are selling houses to Arabs."
In
the interview broadcast on CBS's "Face the Nation," Netanyahu said he
does not accept restrictions on where Jews could live, and said that
Jerusalem's Arabs and Jews should be able to buy homes wherever they
want.
He
said he was "baffled" by the American condemnation. "It's against the
American values. And it doesn't bode well for peace," he repeated. "The
idea that we'd have this ethnic purification as a condition for peace, I
think it's anti-peace." The interview was recorded Thursday.
Opposition leader and Labor Chairman Isaac Herzog lashed out at Netanyahu on Monday
following the White House secretary's statement: "Netanyahu, perhaps
you can explain just once how the irresponsible blows you are exchanging
with the American administration are serving our vital interests?" said
Herzog. "There is no trap in the relations with the United States that
Netanyahu hasn't fallen into. The prime minister once again is causing a
stupid and dangerous fight with the American administration and once
again harming the most vital interests of the State of Israel and its
citizens."
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