Construction Minister Uri Ariel (Habayit Hayehudi) announced Tuesday he would promote a plan to encourage new French immigrants to Israel to settle in Judea and Samaria. Israel expects an increase in Jewish immigration from France in 2015, following the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky on Sunday pegged the potential number of French immigrants to Israel this year at 10,000. In a letter sent to the Yesha Council, the umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, Ariel wrote, "French Jews immigrating to Israel undoubtedly sympathize with the Zionist settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria. Surely, they would want to settle in one of Judea and Samaria's communities." Labor leader Isaac Herzog and Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni criticized Ariel's initiative, saying in a joint statement, "This is not ideology, but rather an attempt to take advantage of the precarious situation French Jews have found themselves in. Not only will this cynical move undermine Israel's international standing and isolate it further, it will be detrimental to our relationship with the Diaspora." Meretz leader MK Zehava Gal-On appealed to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and the Central Election Committee to compel Ariel to suspend the initiative. "Ariel is cynically taking advantage of the tragedy that has occurred in France to expand settlement construction," Gal-On said. "These are not people who have expressed any interest in settling in the territories. This is election bribery." Ariel retorted, "Gal-On is the last person who can lecture me on Zionism. Unlike her and her associates, French Jews see settling the land of Israel as a matter of national importance."
