Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Tuesday that Israel has done less construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank during his time in office than during the tenures of his predecessors Ehud Olmert, Ariel Sharon, and Ehud Barak.
Speaking at the Zionist Congress at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, Netanyau claimed that "During my first term as prime minister, we built, on average, 3,000 housing units per year in Judea and Samaria.
"When Barak was prime minister, he built 5,000 units, Sharon built 1,900 units, and Olmert built 1,700 units," he continued. "In light of the circumstances, the average number of housing units built during my terms in office dropped to 1,500 per year."
PM Netanyahu at the Jewish Congress
(צילום : אורי דוידוביץ)
The prime minister bemoaned what he referred to as Palestinian lies, once again stressing that Israel was not interested in changing the status quo on the Temple Mount and that it does not execute Palestinians.
The prime minister also lashed out at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, saying that he incites violence on social media daily, and hasn't condemned even a single one of the 30 recent terror attacks in Israel.
Netanyahu concluded his remarks by saying that Israel has withstood Palestinian terror for decades, and will withstand this wave as well.
He told the audience that the Jewish people have a fundamental right to live in their national homeland, and that Israel is willing to enter negotiations, but that the Palestinians do not take responsibility for the violence they cause.