The United States wants Israel to refrain from constructing new buildings in the West Bank, correctly saying that the renewal of settlement construction there is detrimental to the continuation of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, says he is considering restoration of a building freeze that ended a couple of weeks ago. Meanwhile, as the United States implores and Netanyahu dithers, building projects in the West Bank are moving forward at rapid rate.
That’s hardly conducive to peace talks, which have been in limbo since a 10-month West Bank construction freeze ended in September. Though negotiations have not ended officially, Palestinian officials have made it clear that they will not negotiate while new buildings are going up on land they view as essential to their future homeland. They understandably view the building boom as a provocation.
That view is easy to understand. Israeli settlers are making up for time lost during the government-imposed freeze. In the few weeks since the ban ended, according to reports issued Thursday, foundations for about 300 units have been completed and hundreds more have been started.
The projects, a mix of government-funded and private projects, are located in nearly 40 settlements, though the most extensive work is taking place in smaller communities where construction regulations are less stringent. The current pace of construction is a matter of concern as well. Officials report that it is a bit higher than it was prior to the ban.
The pace of construction is as much a political statement as it is testament to construction skills. Israeli settlers and the right-wingers that support them are opposed to peace talks and say that the more buildings that they can erect and occupy, the more likely it is that peace talks will collapse. Many Israelis disagree. They believe that ceding the West Bank and possibly other territory in return for a two-state solution with security guarantees, and the peace that could bring to the region, is more important than Israel’s parochial interests. The U.S. should continue to promote the latter view.
Israel can afford to bide its time in the West Bank. It should extend the construction freeze. That will show the Jewish state’s acceptance of the peace process — and test the Palestinian commitment to face-to-face negotiations.