NY Times to Run Series on West Bank Compromise

Joshua Frazer — July 27, 2009 – 10:10 am | Foreign Policy | Israel Comments (0) Add a comment

The New York Times is running a series this week on West Bank settlements and the potential for compromise.

The first installment, in today’s paper, focuses on two ultra-Orthodox settlements, Modiin Illit and Beitar Illit that “offer surprising potential for compromise.”

The article gives new insight into the attitude of the ultra-Orthodox living in the West Bank, the reasons for the mass movement of ultra-Orthodox to settlements like Modiin Illit, and how they view their Arab neighbors.

“We are not here for political reasons,” says Avraham Guttman, a Canadian ex-pat and resident of Beitar Illit, “Ninety percent of the people are here for the affordability, not for ideology. Haredim don’t fight with Arabs.”

The article’s portrayal of the ultra-Orthodox residents of the two settlements offers a contrast to perceptions of Haredi attitudes.
According to the former mayor of Beitar Illit, “In general, Haredim are very practical people. We are not right or left.”

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