CMEP Bulletin: Settlements Grow while Leaders make Inflammatory Speeches
Weekly update from Churches for Middle East Peace
Netanyahu Meets with Obama
Prime Minister Netanyahu met with US President Barack Obama October 1st. In remarks to reporters before the meeting Obama stated that “[the US and Israe] have to find ways to change the status quo.” Netanyahu said that he remained committed to “two states for two peoples.”
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Shortly before Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with Obama, Peace Now made public the final approval by Israeli authorities for the building of 2,600 new housing units in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat Hamatos. This announcement came less than two days after a group of Jews moved into apartments in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. All apartments were purchased through Eland a foreign supported pro-settlement group. In order to mitigate security concerns the move in took place late at night with police help. The mufti of Jerusalem called the entry of Jewish settlers into Silwan a “criminal act.” Israeli MK Moti Yogev told reporters that settlements in East Jerusalem “helped ensure that a ‘United Jerusalem’ [would remain] as Israel’s capital.”