israel_mapAbout 10,000 West Bank settlers and their backers demonstrated in downtown Jerusalem on Wednesday, pledging to defy a temporary building ban imposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. The relatively large turnout reflected support for increasingly fierce settler resistance to the government ban. Settlers held signs and banners that read “We will continue to build” and “Stop Iran’s nukes, not our homes.” The recent decision to prohibit new housing starts in the settlements for 10 months was meant to help the Obama administration’s efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. The pause does not include East Jerusalem and allows for the completion of settler homes where construction has already begun.