When will Britain and Europe act?

[idontwantaname]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/comment/0,10551,1304801,00.html

Saeb Erekat
Wednesday September 15, 2004
The Guardian

Jack Straw is against Israeli expansion. But he does nothing

Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, expressed his "concern" last week that
Israeli expansion of illegal West Bank colonies threatens the viability of a
two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinians
welcome such concern, but wonder what the British government intends to do
about it.
Mr Straw's concern is well-founded. Israeli colonies - illegally built in
occupied Palestinian territory and often on land confiscated from
Palestinians - have long obstructed a negotiated peace between Israel and
the Palestinians. Currently, more than 400,000 settlers inhabit nearly 200
colonies scattered throughout the occupied territories, including east
Jerusalem. Integrated into Israel by "Israeli-only" roads and electricity
grids, the colonies are strategically placed to fragment Palestinian
communities, control water resources and frustrate any true exercise of
Palestinian nationhood.

<snip>

In July, the international court of justice (ICJ) unanimously reaffirmed
that Israel's West Bank colonies and the wall violate international law.
Along with the 24 other members of the European Union, Britain endorsed the
ICJ's ruling. Nevertheless, the colonies continue to expand. Since the
ruling, Israel has authorised the construction of more than 2,300 new
housing units in the occupied Palestinian territories. These new units,
which are heavily subsidised by the Israeli government, could house more
than 8,000 new Jewish settlers from around the world, while local Christian
and Muslim Palestinians would be forced into ever-shrinking reservations and
ghettoes.

<snip>

The United States continues to teach Israel that it is above the law - and
we have seen the disastrous results. The UK and its EU partners should take
a different approach. A good start might be for the EU to stop economically
rewarding Israel for its continued snubbing of the rule of law and take
concrete actions to ensure compliance with the ICJ.