RAMALLAH: Jewish occupiers in the West Bank went on general strike on Sunday to protest the 10-month settlement-building freeze.
The Israeli Channel 7 television said some 200 occupiers took part in a large demonstration in Jerusalem on Sunday morning to kick off the protest campaign.
Gershon Mesika, head of the Shomron Regional Council, was quoted by the Israeli press as saying that “all the municipal employees have gathered here outside the Prime Minister’s Office to protest this racist order that forbids only Jews from building in their land. This is an order that contrasts with all elementary civil rights.”
Netanyahu announced a 10-month freeze on construction in the West Bank settlements last November, saying the move was in a bid to revive the peace talks with the Palestinians.
However, Netanyahu stressed that the construction limits would not be implemented in predominantly Arab East Jerusalem. Israel deems Jerusalem as its indivisible capital.
while the Palestinians want the eastern section of the holy city as the capital of their future state.
The Palestinian Authority has vowed that it will not return to the negotiation table unless Israel totally freezes its construction activities in the West Bank as well as in East Jerusalem.
The anti-settlement Israeli watchdog Peace Now praised the decision and called upon the settlers to continue their strike.
Yariv Oppenheimer, Peace Now secretary-general, said in a press statement: “Hopefully settlement council heads won’t direct funds and resources to the illegal expansion of building in the outpost and settlements during the strike.”
