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Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon told Yeshiva students in Gush Etzion Tuesday night that the Obama administration was blocking Israel from building more settlements, but that the current government in the United States 'won't last forever,' according to a recording obtained by Israel Army Radio.
'I really want to approve plans and build more - right now this issue draws a reaction first and foremost from the Americans, and then threats from various sources,' Ya'alon was reportedly recorded as saying in Hebrew, Army Radio reported. 'So, we are very cautious not to stretch the rope too much.' He then added, 'This government won't last forever, and I hope that this is temporary.'
Ya'alon stressed repeatedly that Israel was being cautious, noting that the country is in a particularly inferior position in the world arena, according to the report.
'Publicizing building, even in Jerusalem, draws a reaction from various sources, including out friends, who attack us, and we manipulate the issue.' Ya'alon said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was leading the cautious approach and that he understood the need for such an approach and supported it.
The freeze only applied to new tenders, Ya'alon stressed to the students, and that massive building was going on based on already approved tenders. 'Look at the past year - settlement in Judea and Samaria, and I know the numbers, grew by 20,000 people,' he said. 'There is no such growth in any other region in Israel.'
Entities 0 Name: Ya'alon Count: 4 1 Name: Israel Count: 3 2 Name: Army Radio Count: 1 3 Name: Moshe Ya'alon Count: 1 4 Name: Yeshiva Count: 1 5 Name: Samaria Count: 1 6 Name: Israel Army Radio Count: 1 7 Name: United States Count: 1 8 Name: Hebrew Count: 1 9 Name: Judea Count: 1 10 Name: Jerusalem Count: 1 11 Name: Benjamin Netanyahu Count: 1 12 Name: Obama Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1ub3JY2 Title: The Israel of your dreams has turned into a nightmare: A letter to Jewish students Description: Israeli academic Simona Sharoni writes: I am writing to you because the Israel of my childhood and of your dreams has become a nightmare, which we can no longer ignore. The passing of the "Jewish Nation-State bill" by the Israeli government makes clear what Palestinian citizens of Israel have known for years: that Israel is a democracy for Jews only.
