As America votes, a voice from Israel

Marc Zell, 63, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel

The Obama administration has put incredible pressure on the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been in office throughout most of the Obama administration, to prohibit the building of Jewish homes and public buildings in Jewish communities throughout Judea and Samaria [the West Bank].

At the beginning of the Obama administration, there was a 10-month moratorium that was completely useless. It would be inaccurate to say there has been no effect; certainly there has been, and I think the Israeli government has been very gun-shy of the Obama administration with respect to authorising construction in Jerusalem and Judea, and Samaria and the Golan Heights.

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However, in other places like where I live in Tekoa, building has gone on unabated because all the permits were granted long before Obama became president. So where the building and planning process had been completed beforehand, building has gone on; where it hasn’t been, things have been more difficult. Nevertheless, the Jewish population of Judea and Samaria has expanded dramatically during this time, just naturally.

There is a very clear difference in what the election would mean for Israel. If Donald Trump is elected president, he has made it very clear that he will have a hands-off policy towards Israel with respect to Jerusalem as its capital and with respect to building in Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights … Clinton promises more of the same of Obama’s policies if she is elected.

*As told to Nigel Wilson