Israel Announces New Settlement Construction In Occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem

[Purveyor]

Source: WASHINGTON POST

By William Booth, Updated: Friday, January 10, 2:17 PM

JERUSALEM — Out of diplomatic courtesy, and because the Americans specifically asked it to, the Israeli government postponed announcing plans to build new housing in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — at least while Secretary of State John F. Kerry was in town last week trying to broker a peace deal.

On Friday, it went ahead, announcing that 1,400 more new houses and apartments will be constructed in the contested areas that Palestinians claim as part of their future state.

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Israeli analysts said Friday’s announcement helps Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu keep his governing coalition together, appeasing allies on his pro-settlement right flank while continuing to participate in peace efforts brokered by Kerry.

But continued announcements of new Jewish settlements have a price. The chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, Saeb Erekat, on Friday called the construction plans “a slap to Mr. Kerry’s efforts and a clear message by Israel's prime minister: ‘Don’t continue with your peace efforts.’ ”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-announces-new-settlement-construction-in-occupied-west-bank-east-jerusalem/2014/01/10/166c9db6-7a0b-11e3-a647-a19deaf575b3_story.html

[2banon]

1. Guess there's still a lot of mileage in being the biggest asshole in the ME. What a prick. n/t

[The Stranger]

2. Everything they said regarding "negotiation" was a complete and total lie.

The "recognition of Israel" requirement is just another canard and deliberate pretense to take more land.

How sickening.

[kelliekat44]

3. As always. They really have no regard for the truth...ever! nt

[The Stranger]

10. I'm not saying the Palestinians are all angels, but come the fuck on.

[sulphurdunn]

4. To its credit,

the Israeli invasion of Palestine is less brutal than was our own for North America, but then again, we weren't handicapped by the spotlight of global media either.

[jtuck004]

5. Sounds like their same old behavior...

The Nakba did not end

Under the cover of the two wars of 1948 and 1967, Israel was able to force more than one million Palestinians outside the territory it controlled. Unless there is another war, the opportunity to carry out another mass expulsion is unlikely to arise again, and as a result Israel is now carrying on slow ethnic cleansing through careful planning, rules and legislation, settlement expansion, separation walls, promises of land swaps and low intensity military operations that continue the 1948 Nakba.

Israel has ignored the protests of the Arab and Islamic states, and it has used its powers as an occupier to create Greater Jerusalem and is now trying to achieve its vision of a Greater Israel. It is carrying on low intensity warfare that includes the siege and periodical decimation of the Palestinians in Gaza and the management of the occupation of the West Bank with help from the Palestinian Authority (PA). This status quo of a one-way peace seems acceptable to the Israeli people.
...
The activities of West Bank and Jerusalem Israeli settlers have not been limited to the lands occupied in 1967. Instead, they have been expanding their anti-Arab and Judaisation activities to mixed Israeli cities and to the Negev. The US writer Max Blumenthal has given examples of the hardships suffered by Arab Israelis inside Israel proper. Groups of young Jewish fundamentalists storm through Arab neighbourhoods with impunity, he says, often carrying out pogroms. In May 2010, for example, young men waving Israeli flags burst into Arab homes in Jaffa chanting “this is our land,” “Jaffa is for the Jews,” and “Arabs, get out of Jaffa.” The following January, a similar group attacked the Al-Nuzha Mosque in Jaffa while chanting “Death to the Arabs” as the police stood impassively by, only intervening to prevent fighting between the attackers and men who had been praying in the mosque.
Israeli rabbis, government officials and Knesset members all lead the assaults of such Jewish mobs against the Arab citizens of Israel. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the Israeli Shas Party leader who peppers his weekly radio sermons with invective against the Arabs, has said that “it is forbidden to be merciful to Arabs,” for example. While Avigdor Lieberman, the foreign minister of Israel whose party has gained more seats in the Knesset at every election, appeals to those who loathe the Arabs wherever they may be found.
...

More, here.

We send Israel about $8.5 million every day so they can act like this?

Seems like that money would be better invested in food stamps here...

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. Israel keeps getting those US billions despite its provocations. Why would it stop?

It seems to have the Congress wrapped around its little finger.

The whole let's-fuck-up-the-Iran-negotiations-with-new-sanctions thing stinks of Israeli influence as well.

[OneAngryDemocrat]

7. kicked

[okaawhatever]

8. Bibi just needs to come out and say he is not for peace, not for a two state solution, not for

anything other than total domination. What's really sad is I see some on the far right in Israel right now comfortable with doing things that have been done to Jews in the past given the opportunity. I don't kid myself that some of the ultra orthodox zealots wouldn't exterminate Palestinians if they could get away with it.

[mitchtv]

9. apparently,The Govt of Isreal

is not interested in negotiating . This is bad faith