Concerned. Barak
Photo: AFP
Barak: US demand on settlement expansion makes no sense
Defense minister says natural growth requires Jews in West Bank to expand settlements, adding that he is concerned Palestinians 'talking about two states but not two peoples'
Labor Chairman Ehud Barak told cabinet on Sunday that his party backs the two-state solution, but said he was "concerned that the Palestinians are speaking of two states but not two peoples."
During the weekly cabinet meeting, which focused on the evacuation of illegal Jewish outposts in the West Bank, the defense minister said "what we have in common is a small piece of land (referring to Israel), and we don’t anyone to take a bite out of it. We have a responsibility to maintain the security of our citizens and of the Jewish nation. I say this because historic and fateful issues are on the table."
As for the evacuation of the illegal outposts, Barak said "the Israeli government must live up to its commitments, including those made to the US."
Referring to the US' demand that Israel halt all settlement expansion, including construction stemming from natural growth, the Labor chief said "there cannot be a situation whereby a father of two who bought a 54 square-meter apartment (about 581 square feet) and then decides to expand his family will be forbidden from adding two rooms to the flat due to an injunction relayed by the US. This makes no sense."
