IPF, J Street criticize Jerusalem building

The Israel Policy Forum and J Street are objecting to Israel’s plans to build housing in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem.

"This plan is an unnecessary provocation of the Obama administration and the moderate Palestinian leadership designed to create ‘facts on the ground’ in East Jerusalem in order to prevent an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, and to appease right-wing constituencies within Israel and elsewhere,” said IPF executive director Nick Bunzl in a statement.

"Construction in areas that will be part of negotiations over the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel undermines efforts to achieve a lasting resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians," he said. "It weakens the moderate Palestinian leaders at precisely the time when all efforts should be made to strengthen them."

"This is exactly the kind of move that undercuts hopes for normalization and the resumption of serious negotiations, therefore hindering the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians," said J Street executive director Jeremy Ben-Ami in a statement.

"Jerusalem should and will be the internationally recognized capital of Israel, and the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem should become the capital of a future Palestinian state," he continued. "This is the premise underlying all efforts to date to articulate a viable two-state solution. The exact arrangements will need to be agreed upon by both the Israelis and Palestinians as part of a two-state agreement, which is essential to Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic homeland. Any unilateral actions taken now – such as moving forward with construction at the Shepherd Hotel – only make a viable solution more difficult to achieve and, in our opinion, undercut the long-term interests of the state of Israel.

Both organizations’ full statements are after the jump:[[READMORE]]

First, IPF:

Israel Policy Forum (IPF) is “greatly concerned” by Israeli plans to build a new Jewish housing development in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, said IPF executive director Nick Bunzl in a statement released today.

“Construction in areas that will be part of negotiations over the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel undermines efforts to achieve a lasting resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. It weakens the moderate Palestinian leaders at precisely the time when all efforts should be made to strengthen them,” the IPF statement continued. 

“This plan is an unnecessary provocation of the Obama administration and the moderate Palestinian leadership designed to create ‘facts on the ground’ in East Jerusalem in order to prevent an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, and to appease right-wing constituencies within Israel and elsewhere,” Bunzl declared.

“The Obama administration’s demonstrated commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict offers all the parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict a genuine, renewed opportunity, he noted. “As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton clearly stated in her speech last week, ‘ending the conflict requires action on all sides’."

“IPF therefore calls on members of Congress and American Jewish leaders to join the Obama administration in expressing their strong displeasure with plans like this that are bound to jeopardize U.S. efforts to achieve a breakthrough in Israeli-Palestinian relations.”

And J Street:

J Street is dismayed at news reports that the Government of Israel has rejected an American request to halt Irving Moskowitz’s planned development of the Shepherd Hotel in East Jerusalem.

This is exactly the kind of move that undercuts hopes for normalization and the resumption of serious negotiations, therefore hindering the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

J Street supports the President’s call for adherence to past agreements including a full construction freeze, as well as his call for Palestinian steps to end incitement to violence and Arab moves toward normalization with Israel.

Jerusalem remains, perhaps, the most sensitive and difficult issue to be addressed as part of any effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  We believe that both sides have an interest in avoiding actions that make an ultimate resolution even harder to achieve.

Jerusalem should and will be the internationally recognized capital of Israel, and the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem should become the capital of a future Palestinian state. This is the premise underlying all efforts to date to articulate a viable two-state solution. The exact arrangements will need to be agreed upon by both the Israelis and Palestinians as part of a two-state agreement, which is essential to Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic homeland.

Any unilateral actions taken now – such as moving forward with construction at the Shepherd Hotel – only make a viable solution more difficult to achieve and, in our opinion, undercut the long-term interests of the state of Israel.