In a move set to further distance Israel from much of the in- ternational community, Netanyahu s government said on June - that it had invited bids for the construction of at least -,--- homes in settlements in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. Plans include construction in highly contended areas such as Ariel, a town deep inside the territory, and in the Jewish neigh- bourhood of Ramat Shlomo in East Jerusalem. ...Although President Barack Obama reiterated American commitment to this relationship upon coming to power, Israeli leaders have long viewed the US president as being soft on the US s traditional enemies, including Iran. There are concerns that Obama s willingness to engage with Iran is motivated more by his desire to accomplish a foreign policy success in his final years in office than his desire to genuinely reduce the regional threat posed by Tehran. Israel was also alarmed by President Obama s willingness to withdraw support for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a close American ally for -- years, during the Arab Spring in February ----. ...Israel was also alarmed by President Obama s willingness to withdraw support for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a close American ally for -- years, during the Arab Spring in February ----. Finally, Obama s decision in September ---- to refrain from airstrikes against the Syrian regime (Iran s closest ally in the Middle East) following the - Business Monitor International Ltd www political outlook peace as Far away as ever
...Main Political Parties (number of seats in parliament) likud: centre-right, economically liberal, hawkish on Palestinian issues. founded in ---- and currently led by Binyamin netanyahu. ...Beiteinu recently formed a bloc with the likud party to compete in the January ---- parliamentary elections. yesh atid: the party was founded recently by popular media personality yair lapid, and portrays itself as a centrist middle class party, trying to attract a large share of the Israeli voters that are disappointed with the current political parties. the formation supports a two-state solution, a reform to the electoral system and national or military service for all Israelis, including Haredi Jews. The Jewish Home: A new version of the national Religious Party Mafdal, Habayit Hayehudi (Jew- ish Home) is a right wing party focused on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. ...
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