Palestinian Officials Criticize US Over Israeli Settlements

Washington Post:

JERUSALEM -- Palestinian officials on Sunday criticized the United States for what one called "back-pedaling" on demands that Israel stop settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, saying that the Obama administration's change of approach on the issue damaged the likelihood of a peace agreement.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[MarcusT]

Remember way back a week or two ago when suburban American progressives were all talking about how Obama had changed our international reputation? I think it's gone from just plain stupid to very articulate ineptitude. But there are about 3 million rabid freaks in Israel who do appreciate it.

[party-of-one]

Did Hillary Clinton not that the issue of West Banks settlements is huge point of controversy? Why if she wanted to start a dialogue on Peace would she make a public statement that could be perceived as choosing sides, and fan the flames? Is this about Hillary and headlines?

The U.S. needs a skilled, responsible, effective DIPLOMAT to help broker peace. Hillary is not that person.

[MosheDayanHero]

Just becuase P-ninas want something , doesn't mean they want rto get it.
Same for Israel.
Israeli government offered to negotiate without preconditions. Palestinians issued 14 preconditions.
Time to climb from Saladin's white horse and begin negotiations.

[MosheDayanHero]

Is-el VOLUNTARILY made Gaza J.ew-free.
The reward from Palestinains-- election of Hamas committed to Jihad and 15,000 rockets sobbed at I-li cities.
Chances of the same repeating in W. Bank--below absolute zero. No, sorry-- lower than that.

Israel committed to not build new towns in West Bank and Gaza.
Israel committed not to territorially expand the present towns.

If this is not enough--time to move to Lebanon, I am sure P-nians will get a better treatment there.

[mgloraine]

This just demonstrates the reach of Israeli criminal gangs like the Likud and AIPAC. Using money handed to them by the US Congress, they do just like the bailed out banks: they buy Congressional votes and threaten the non-compliant with political (and physical) attacks. As usual, corruption in Congress and the Executive branch place our country in the position of supporting violent repressive regimes because they are somehow more profitable in the short term. It's no wonder the rest of the world hates Americans for the never-ending oppression resulting from the greed and power lust of our elected officials. It's embarrassing to be a citizen of this country.

[gandolf101]

History will record that 2,500 years of Jewish life in Yemen is now over. As The Wall Street Journal reported October 31, the US State Department has completed a clandestine operation which brought 60 of the country's remaining Jews to America. The newspaper quoted Yeshiva University's Hayim Tawil, a Yemeni Jewry expert, as issuing the certificate of death: "This is the end of the Jewish Diaspora of Yemen. That's it." .

THE RESCUE illuminates an often overlooked aspect of the 60-year-plus Arab-Israel conflict. Whereas the Arab world has purposefully maintained the 700,000 or so Palestinian Arabs made homeless in the course of the 1948 war and their descendants as permanent refugees and political pawns, the State of Israel and world Jewry have worked hard to resettle a roughly equal number of Jewish refugees forced to flee Arab lands.

The behavior of Arab leaders toward their Jewish subjects after the creation of Israel was (with notable exceptions) characterized by scapegoating and marginalization culminating in mass exodus. In 1947, Arab rioters in Aden killed dozens of Jews to protest a two-state solution in Palestine. In 1949 and 1950 the bulk of Yemen's Jews, some 49,000, were airlifted here in "Operation Magic Carpet."

[SiberianRat]

I'm not sure why this isn't more prominent: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mj-rosenberg/dems-in-house-to-pass-bil_b_340987.html

[FloresdelaHoz]

Israel doesn't care in the least bit what impact their actions have on Jewish Americans in the US. After 9/11 and now the global economic meltdown, American Jews have been on the ugly end of many comments regarding their patriotism.

Americans are sick and tired that after 42 years (1967 war) there is no prospect of reconciliation between Israel and the conquered Palestinians and the Muslim world. Either give Palestinean full citizenship or we cut off all aid (including military) within three years.

The world is going multi-polar and the American empire is exhausted. The US$ as the world reserve currency is on life support for the next 5 years. We need to become energy independent from the middle east and pull all troops out of the Persian Gulf, Iran and Afghanistan.

Sooner rather than later the Jews and Muslims are going to use WMDs against each other. We should make sure that we have nothing to do with either side. Let this become Russia and Europe problem. No more American kids dying for Oil.

[lastpost]

Is the Israeli position that these settlements:
1. are not part of a final agreement.
2. would be dismantled following an agreement.
3. will be handed over to the Palestinians, after an agreement.
4. should be occupied by families from both nations.
5. constitute a bargaining advantage.
6. are immaterial, since there is no intention to achieve an agreement.
7. are designated for deployment in some, as yet, unspecified capacity.

[janmarie]

Back to 67 lands or a one vote/one person state for all.

[Name Not In Use]

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

[SiberianRat]

H. Clinton is meeting Arab leaders today in Morocco. What on earth will she have to say after that obscene lauding of "unprecedented concessions." (puke) It's as awful as McCain's "we are all Georgians" nonsense.

[Name Not In Use]

McCain's "we are all Georgians" is actually a quote from a campaign speech in Atlanta.

[SiberianRat]

Your point being...?

[SiberianRat]

Ah, it's a joke, right? Took me a minute... :-)

[Whinger]

Jerusalem, the city of peace, as divided and fragmented as ever!

It looks as though the ground rules have been re-written to ensure peace talks perish!

[CigarGod]

Since Jerusalem is built upon the ruins of a conquered city, it has never been a "city of peace".

[Wisdo]

During Oslo, the Palestinians joined negotiations, they got nothing and the settlements continued.
During Camp David, the Palestinians negotiated, got nothing and the settlements continued.
During the Madrid peace conference, the Palestinians negotiated, got nothing and the settlements continued.

For Hamas, there is no reason to negotiate with Israel - not unless they demonstrate that this time it will be different (which of course, it won't).

[Avidbuff]

I call bullshit. Palestinians received recognition of the PLO to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians, self-gover­nance[secu­rity, policing, taxation, education etc], and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and Jericho. These are significant advances considering they had virtually no control over their own society and people before these agreements.

[admarx]

Not to mention offered a state in 95%+ of the West Bank with land compensation from pre-67 Israel, all of Gaza, and a capital in East Jerusalem in 2000.

And don't forget last year, when Olmert even offered to hand over the Temple Mount, the holiest site for Jews.

[ZenJu]

It would be gratifying if the Palestinians could shrug off their "leadership," abandon violence and hatred of Israel, and get busy living, creating jobs and schools and a viable future for themselves. They would establish Palestine as a fact, and one that would receive the applause and support of the whole rational world--including an Israel willing to extend the hand of friendship and peace. Hamas and Fatah and jihadist movements have done nothing but to prevent the creation of Palestine and have mired the Palestinians in misery and war. Barak and Olmert made hithero unimaginable offers in the past decade; it's time for Palestinians to take what they can get and work with it, rather than remain stuck in limbo.

[jwcmass]

The problem is that wouldn't work. All you would be doing is bottling up Palestinian resentment as ever more land is seized, ever more homes are bulldozed, and they lose ever more control over their lives.

Palestinians have rights-- and unless those rights are respected, there will not be peace.

Right now, what the Palestinians are being offered is not a country -- economically vialbe and independent.

they are being offered colonialism, with a few, isolated areas where their population is concentrated, but each one a de facto prison, cut off from each other, with Israel controlling all access in or out.

It's this Israeli government's plan to "allow" a Palestinian protectorate, while allowing Israel to take most of the West Bank.

Thats an offer the Palestinians will refuse-- and rightly so.

What they could do is just wait until Israel has no choice because of its huge settler infrastructure, and call for the annexation of the West Bank (and Gaza) and demand full and equal citizenship.

They know how their numbers are growing faster than the Israelis -- and soon their population will exceed Israel's.

And, like the Israelis, they will practice ethnic based politics and elect their own government.

So in reality it is Israel that had better make a JUST peace offer of two states-- one that the Palestinians will accept.

They are not going away, and they are aware of the demographic situation.

[ZenJu]

Yeah, better to just keep the same old tired, miserable status quo, wallow in rage and misery, and offer their children no actual vision of a better future. Sounds like a plan, huh? Odd how so many who claim to work for "peace" don't actually pursue every avenue, especially where it concerns a certain tiny Middle Eastern democracy.

[gandolf101]

"They are not going away, and they are aware of the demographic situation"

are you talking about mexicans or palestinians? hows your spanish ?



(IsraelNN.com) Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, speaking at the London School of Economics last week said that there has never been a Palestinian state throughout history.

“If you say that this is a Palestinian land, can you mention to me one Palestinian ruler, king, or government that ruled the land? Can you tell me the boundaries of that land? There was never a Palestinian state. Never ever in history was there a Palestinian state. It will be another twist of history that Israel - the Jews - will create the Palestinian state, not Arabs, not anyone else. We will create a Palestinian state.”

[SiberianRat]

Are you serious? These are just talking points! Take what they can get and work with it? Nevermind the egregious violations of international law by Israel--they should just take what they can get and work with it. Gross.

[ZenJu]

My mistake. You are wise in your observations. Better to remain as they are, miserable, hooked on anger and violence, with fewer opportunities, and better to resort to rage and acts of terror than to embrace the beginnings of independence and peace. Yes, it's better to play the victim and wallow in misery rather than to make bold moves toward a better future. Should have seen that. Thank you.