Following the approval of construction program at the Ramat Shlomo Neighborhood in East Jerusalem, former Knesset Member Uri Avnery says:

"The government heats up the political arena instead of dealing with the wave of social protest and the tent encampments springing up throughout the country. Economic hardships brought the youngsters out into the streets and exposed the true face of the Netanyahu Government, which does not serve the voters but only the tycoons. Construction in East Jerusalem will benefit only the favored ultra-Orthodox community, in stark contrast to demand of universal social justice, affordable housing for all. Not only will this act make it even harder to renew any kind of diplomatic process, but it may well provoke a reaction by the Palestinians. In the present Israeli political climate, this might well be precisely what the government desperately hopes for - distracting citizens from their real concerns, and steering them back to preoccupation with primordial fears. Netanyahu continues to avoid finding real solutions – either domestically or with the Palestinians – his real concern being to keep his seat, at the expense of all of us. "

11/08/11 Contact: Adam Keller 054-2340749