I can't remember a time when the West was so united in its condemnation of Israeli construction in greater Jerusalem. Truth be told, this also applies to the settlement blocs. European foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton went so far as to call the Israeli position "unprecedented." While the United States was the only country to prevent a harsh statement at the U.N. Security Council by using its veto power, it also rushed to condemn construction in the area known as E1 located between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim. Israel undoubtedly must continue to build in Jerusalem. A more populated Ramat Shlomo neighborhood is not an obstacle to negotiations with the Palestinians. It's a necessity. The area between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim, however, is definitely a challenge on the diplomatic and public relations front. The Palestinians were able to convince the world that construction in E1 will split what will eventually become Palestine into two separate regions. Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon's explanation that this was not the case was of no avail. The government is responsible for the consequences of its policies, whether they occur intentionally or by accident. The role of any opposition party is to provide criticism. Habayit Hayehudi ("The Jewish Home"), however, claims it wants to be part of a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the elections. While party chairman Naftali Bennett claims Netanyahu is not interested, the prime minister is in fact very interested, as long as Habayit Hayehudi stays within the boundaries of coalition agreements. In this regard, Habayit Hayehudi will need to face a series of difficult questions. Does it consider it important that friendly countries thoroughly oppose such wholesale construction? Is it permissible to compromise with the U.S. and European countries, even when they disagree with Israel? Is there any weight to the claim that harsher condemnation of Israel, by the U.S. and Europe, could harm Israeli citizens and the country's economy? On what issues, and under which circumstances, is Habayit Hayehudi willing to compromise- Habayit Hayehudi can no longer remain insulated by its lack of actual responsibility for events taking place in the country. It also cannot take itself seriously when its spokespeople keep uttering the baseless claim that the world is against us merely because Netanyahu accepted the principle of a two-state solution during his speech at Bar Ilan University. Even the Yesha Council (an umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish settlements in the West Bank) knows that it is precisely because of Netanyahu's speech that the settlement enterprise was able to expand, at least within the large settlement blocs that all parties realize won't be relinquished. It's not enough to accumulate random votes. A responsible party staking its claim as a future coalition partner must say where it is prepared to show flexibility; where it takes international opinion into consideration; and what its red lines are. Failing to do so makes it nothing more than a fad at the expense of national responsibility, and anyone with a head on their shoulders knows that Habayit Hayehudi is worth more than that.
