With all the to and fro between the Obama Administration and Israel over “settlements,” there has been relatively little focus on the specific issue of Jewish life and sovereignty in all of united Jerusalem.

But over the weekend, there were reports, now corrected, that there was a specific push by the U.S. against a construction project in “east” Jerusalem.

Commendably and importantly, Prime Minister Netanyahu himself publicly stated the deep connection of Israel and the Jewish people to the eternal capital of Jerusalem.

The OU disagrees (and has for a long time) with the American position (which pre-dates the Obama Administration) that there is no difference between Israel’s activities in Jerusalem and other areas in Judea and Samaria and we support Mr. Netanyahu’s defense of the holy city.

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