During his eight-year term, President Barack Obama put a lot of pressure on Israel to stop “settlement” construction, so building projects in Jewish neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city were put on hold. It seemed to many Israelis that Washington had more to say about Jerusalem than the Israeli government.
Now, Israel is putting major building projects back on the agenda, including 1,400 apartments in the neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo, 2,600 in Givat HaMatos and 3,000 in Gilo.
“The Americans stopped us from building there because the construction sites lie on the other side of the Green Line,” Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor Meir Turgeman told Israel Today. “We weren’t in charge of Jerusalem, Barack Obama was. But those days are gone, and now we have to catch up on what we have missed over the last eight years. We have pulled the building plans out of the ‘freezer.’”
Become a Member
-
Read all member content
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel.
-
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel
Connect with Israel, right from your home.
-
Lift up the voice of truth and hope
Support Jerusalem-based Zionist journalism.
Already a member? Login here.
