US backs Israeli expansion of settlement: this should help us in Iraq

[lottie244]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/25D9324A-C3FD-44AD-90A7-66717ECE5D75.htm

When you read "settlement" think "stolen and occupied Palestinian land."

[Warpy]

1. Actually, a lot of the settlement land was paid for

fallow land that was sold to Israelis. The problem is the security issue around those settlements, and the way they've cut Palestinians off from roads through the West Bank and even their own property. It's an obvious attempt at setting up the same sort of apartheid system they had in South Africa, with the Palestinians restricted to an unweildy, chopped up, and impossible to administer "homeland."

Had those West Bank settlers been forced to cope with their neighbors fairly, perhaps such extreme security wouldn't have been necessary, or perhaps the living conditions would have been so dangerous as to make them all go back to Israel. Who knows?

What we do know is that the way Sharon is handling the present situation is unconscionable, and should outrage reasonable and compassionate people the world over.

The Palestinians have also turned to outrageous means, sending their children to die as they murder Israeli children.

There will be no good outcome to this horror while both sides cling to failed policies. Only the outrage of the rest of the world will persuade either side to change, unless they are determined to continue this until they are all dead.

[IronLionZion]

3. both sides need new leadership

And Palestine obviously has the short end of the stick. Sure Arafat is an asshole, but Sharon needs to go as well. I'm confident that two moderate leaders could work it out given the chance. Unfortunately there are powerful extremists on both sides who are more than willing to let their people die in a senseless bloodbath.

[IronLionZion]

2. democracy at work eh?

There's a reason the Arabs hate us and Israel (hint: it's not religion)