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'Remain loyal to Likud's values.' Netanyahu
Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO

Settlers to protest outside PM's Residence

West Bank council heads decide to begin sit-in after Rosh Hashanah in protest of government's plan to freeze settlement construction; call for greater pressure on politicians

Settler leaders decided on Thursday to hold a sit-in outsidePrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem in protest of the plan to freeze construction in the West Bank as part of the US' initiative to jumpstart the Mideast peace process.

 

The West Bank council heads decided to begin the sit-in the day after Rosh Hashanah.

 

According to them, the sit-in will mark the launch of a wide-scale campaign against the settlement freeze. During the meeting the settler leaders said they would apply greater pressure on politicians, particularly from the ruling Likud party, in a bid to thwart the PM's plan.

 

On Wednesday Likud Knesset members opposed to a settlement freeze, namely Michael Eitan, Gilad Erdan, Yuli Edelstein and Moshe Kahlon decided at the last moment not to attend a rally organized by the Yesha Council against the plan to halt Jewish construction beyond the Green Line, mainly because it was described by the organizers as a "revolt" against Netanyahu.

 

However, a number of less influential Likud MKs - Danny Danon, Yariv Levin and Tzipi Hotovely – did take part in the Yesha event.

 

"Prime minister, the Likudniks support you. You have our backing to remain loyal to the party's values, build in the West Bank and safeguard Jerusalem," Danon said during the rally.

 

"Be strong. Likud and the entire nation are behind you. If you fold, you'll receive temporary praise from the media, but you'll lose your power base," he said.

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.10.09, 18:40
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