Talks With Palestinians Unlikely Despite Kerry Bid: Israeli Minister

[Purveyor]

Source: REUTERS

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A senior Israeli official on Saturday played down the prospect of shuttle diplomacy by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reviving long-stalled peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

Asked whether new talks might be imminent, Civil Defense Minister Gilad Erdan, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, told Israel's Channel Two television: "To my regret, no, as of now."

Read more: http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCABRE95S0B420130629

[PDJane]

1. Why go through the charade one more time?

Israel does not want peace. They don't want to have to stop the occupation. And the talks are just a way to keep Europeans and others from getting upset enough to demand an end to it and a two state solution, in which Israel will inevitably have to give up control.

It's not going to happen unless and until Israel and the US are made to take it seriously.

[HiddenAgenda63]

5. Israel refuses preconditional talks, the PA refuses talks without preconditions.

Hmmm...

[PDJane]

6. I would point out that the preconditions are reasonable on the side of Palestine.

Israel refuses to allow them any autonomy, and has restricted access to everything, including food. They are expanding settlements in the west bank.

The whole thing is just another display of "look, see, they're being unreasonable." Israel hasn't been reasonable from the first.

It's time to stop the theatre, and hold Israel to account. This occupation is illegal, regardless of the fictional support of the biblical account.

[HiddenAgenda63]

7. I understand. It;s just a weird, "Mexican stand-off," that's all.

The PA will never acknowledge any Jewish settlement beyond the 1948 ceassefire line as legitimate and the Israelis believe that they have the right to build within what they see as their own legitimate borders...

I wonder if any of this will ever change in my lifetime?

[jessie04]

18. LOL.....The palestinians could get alot more positive action...

if they acknowledge Israel's right to exist and stop the endless media anti Semitism.

[cpwm17]

24. The conflict has nothing to do with Israel's right to exist

That's propaganda. It's about the Palestinians' right to exist. Right now, through Israel's actions, it is clear that Israel doesn't grant the Palestinian a genuine right to live on their own land.

It's Israel that is denying the Palestinians their basic human rights.

[jessie04]

25. Thats good.

feel free to believe that.

[jessie04]

39. LOL...funny. Nothing to do with Israel's right to exist, huh?

Palestinian textbooks erase Israel, give no hope for peace

A hearing at the Knesset this week revealed once again that Palestinian school textbooks deny the legitimacy of Israel, erase Jewish history in the region, and teach that true peace is not possible until the Jewish state disappears.

Presenting his findings to the gathered lawmakers and foreign diplomats, Dr. Arnon Groiss, a recognized expert on tolerance in education, charged that "Israel is delegitimized, and demonized in these texts and no peaceful solution to Arab-Israel conflict is ever discussed."

The textbooks in question are used currently in Palestinian schools funded and operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Financing for the schools and textbooks comes from the US, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Australia and other nations.

One of the chief components of the original "Oslo" peace accords was that both sides would educate their respective populations for peaceful coexistence on the basis that both had a right to sovereignty in at least part of the land.


http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23947/Default.aspx?hp=article_title


feel free to ignore the truth.

[hack89]

42. The return to 1967 borders is not reasonable

considering that determining safe and secure borders for both sides is one of the major purposes of the negotiations.

Stopping construction in the occupied territories is reasonable.

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. You mean conditions like "Stop stealing our land"?

[helomech]

15. the land of Israel

it's not stealing if was the Israelis to begin with

[PDJane]

23. No. It was conquered by the Israelis, they were conquered in turn.

It has not been Israel for at least two thousand years, and fictional beings cannot give permission to steal from Palestinians because of it. This is here and now, and international law applies.

[former9thward]

28. Of course the UN mandate that created Israel can be ignored.

Apparently not all international law is equal.

[PDJane]

29. The UN mandate didn't give Israel all of Palestine, you know.

They gave them a large portion, but left a contiguous palestinian state. The rest is occupation, not a mandate.

[former9thward]

30. Funny how that happened.

The second Israel was created the Arab states and the Palestinians rejected international law and attacked from all sides. When you start a war you better be prepared to live with the consequences. You don't get to start a war, lose, and then say "let's go back to where we started."

[PDJane]

31. That's an interesting viewpoint. Israel managed to start their sojourn with terrorism.

It is now a state tactic. And no matter what the Palestinians did, Israel did worse. They killed everyone in some villages, blew other things up....and have continued. Israel's hands are bloody, as they have been from the beginning of the state.

[former9thward]

32. You and I read different history books.

So I will leave it at that.

[Scootaloo]

35. What history books do you read, 9thward?

[former9thward]

38. A very broad question.

I am always reading history. Presently four of them because I am doing research for a book I am writing.

[Scootaloo]

40. Not really, given the subject we're currently on.

[former9thward]

41. If you are trying to make a point why not just do it.

Instead of dancing around. If you expect me to list every book or article I have ever read about the Israel/Palestinian conflict I guess I will have to pass.

[Scootaloo]

44. I'm not "dancing," chief

I'm asking you what history books you're referencing for your arguments here. If you're going to tell PDJane that you "read different history books," then surely you have a few specifics in mind.

[former9thward]

45. Maybe PDJane should speak for herself.

I let her (or you if you speak for her) go first.

[Scootaloo]

46. I'm asking for myself

What are your history books, 9thward?

[former9thward]

47. You can pull a leash all you want, there is nothing attached to it.

I don't work for you -- or for anyone.

[Scootaloo]

48. I must say I'm amused...

I just wanted to know what history books you're sourcing for your claims upthread, and you get all weird. Really, do you do this if people ask you about your desert island reading list, too? "I DON'T ANSWER TO YOU!"

I have no idea why you're so angry and defensive. One ould imagine you'd want to share these superior sources of knowledge.

[former9thward]

50. This is not my first rodeo.

Anything I would mention would be automatically condemned as "Zionist", "obvious Israeli bias", "not credible", etc. I am not angry. You used the caps not me. I give my opinion, you give yours. I am not looking to change minds with my posts. So no I don't care about sharing my --in your words, superior sources of knowledge--much of which I couldn't link to if I wanted to. Can't link to trips to the region, reading daily articles about the situation, and running a non-profit which concentrates on the Middle East.

[Scootaloo]

51. You run a non-profit that you can't link or name...

You read articles by authors you can't name
You cite books that you can't mention.

All while being super-defensive about it all?

If you were worried that I'd try to discredit you with a book list or something, I think it's rather a moot point now.

By the way? of course your books are biased. History doesn't come from an omniscient and impartial god of knowledge, it's stitched together from individual perspectives. History is inherently biased. There is no neutrality. C'mon man, you're a history buff right? You should know that.

[former9thward]

52. You are really sorta weird.

I suspect I am not the first person to point that out. I read 20-25 articles a day on various topics. You think I keep track on all the authors? Weird. Of course I could name the non-profit and link to it. But that would be pretty idiotic on an internet site with anonymous posters some of whom would then use computers to slam it. There is a reason that people (such as yourself and myself) post anonymously on a site like this. Now you get the last word on this sub-thread! Make it good!

[Scootaloo]

53. I don't need the last word, said everything I needed to

But allow me to use the space to provide some most excellent music.

Party on dude.

[Steviehh]

37. God gives life not land.

No exclusive deeds are issued by god, to anyone, just life.

[azurnoir]

9. the precondition is that Israel stop settlement building and land confiscation

Israel's answer(s) from the last 10 days

Israel okays 69 settlement homes on eve of Kerry visit

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=608771

Official: Israel to confiscate more land in Nablus

The Israeli military plans to confiscate 379 dunums of Palestinian land near Bracha settlement in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian Authority official said Wednesday.

Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activities, said Israel's military commander in the West Bank Nitsan Alon issued the decision to confiscate the land in Kafr Qalil.

The land belongs to Muhammad Abu Zarur, Samih Sadqa, Bassam al-Shaqa, Abdul Fattah Kashkash, Muhammad Qani, Kathem Abdul Ghani and Jamil Khader and his brothers, Daghlas told Ma'an.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=608593

Automated Annexation”: Israel informing Palestinians of land confiscation by mail

Israeli authorities have started using registered mail to inform Palestinians of land confiscations, a Palestinian Authority official said Wednesday.

Israel’s Civil Administration has sent letters to a number of Nablus residents informing them of decisions to confiscate their land, said Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activity.

http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/automated-annexation-israel-informing-palestinians-of-land-confiscation-by-mail/
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=60859

[HiddenAgenda63]

10. "Automated Annexation"

Reinds me of the movie "District 9." Sheesh.

[helomech]

16. OH. okay

It's not going to happen. I mean really.... The moment we get into a conflict with Iraq, everybody was up in arms about getting into another countries business. Now we have this big deal about Israel and the Palestinians. So tell me, why are we getting into another countries business again??

[PDJane]

17. That's really missing the point. Deliberately.

[WhataKnight]

22. Maybe because Israel knows the results

The Palestinians don't want peace, how many times has Israel given to world pressure only to be attacked from the very land they gave up.

[PDJane]

27. That's not true, you know. They do want Israel to leave them their land, their water, and

their gardens and life..........and to stop humiliating them at checkpoints.

[hack89]

43. Israel gave up Gaza and rockets were flying within hours.

not the response one would like to see to a confidence building initiative on the part of Israel. What lesson did the Israelis learn about giving up land for peace from that episode?

[WhataKnight]

54. Never give

a response like that. The anti-Israel crowd has taken over the Democratic party. That is why I call myself a real Democrat and not a liberal.

[Mosby]

2. Abbas wants concessions from Israel before negotiations

Abbas tells Kerry Israeli goodwill gestures insignificant, says PA official

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday told US Secretary of State John Kerry, currently visiting the Middle East, that Israel’s goodwill gestures were too insufficient for the resumption of peace talks, the Chinese news agency reported early Saturday.

snip

“What Israel offers in terms of releasing a limited number of prisoners and increasing the Palestinian Authority’ s influence in the West Bank is not enough for President Abbas to accept returning to the negotiating table,” the news agency quoted a Palestinian official as saying.

The official reportedly said Israel would have to freeze settlement building and accept a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders for talks between the two sides to continue, adding that Abbas had told Kerry as much during their meeting in Amman.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/abbas-told-kerry-israeli-goodwill-gestures-insignificant-says-source/

[frontier00]

3. Kerry

I don't know about kerry

[jessie04]

19. And what " concessions " are the palestinians going to make ?

Oh, that's right...they don't have to make any concessions ...and they never do.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

21. I think considering the 'facts' Israel has laid on the ground with the settlements,

restriction on materials etc etc, that the Palestinians have made more then enough concessions

[Scootaloo]

33. Well, you finally said something correct!

Oh, that's right...they don't have to make any concessions ...and they never do.

Yup, you're absolutely right. They don't owe Israel a single thing. So nice of you to pop your head into the civilized world for a moment, jessie. I know it'll be too much to ask for you to stick around, but we enjoy the visit nonetheless.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. The status quo works for Israel, gobbling up Palestine acre by acre.

Why the Palestinians are so quiescent, I don't know.

[bahrbearian]

12. I don't know why they are so quiescent, you'd think they would lay down in front of the Bulldozers,

Because that would stop them.

[Ash_F]

26. HA!

It's sad that's funny.

[cpwm17]

11. Another attempt at a pretend negotiation

for Palestinian rights that are supposed to be guaranteed by international law – what a sham.

[helomech]

13. there never was a palestine

The land has been Israel for more than 2000 years. There never was a palestinian state as such...

[cpwm17]

14. LOL

[azurnoir]

36. why Newt is that you?

[The Stranger]

49. Golda?! You're alive!?

[Beacool]

20. Kerry is really pushing M.E. peace, isn't he?

It seems to be his main focus since he assumed the job. I wish him well, but it'll probably end up like all the other previous attempts by several administrations: status quo. No side is really interested in ending this conflict.

[wisteria]

34. One news source, I will take a wait and see attitude. n/t