US renews 'halt settlements' plea

dlofnep

The US government has again urged Israel to halt its policy of expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Such actions make a climate for talks "harder to create", the White House press secretary said.

"We regret reports of Israel's plans to approve additional settlement construction [which] is inconsistent with Israel's roadmap commitment."

The comments referred to the reported plans by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to one of his senior aides, Mr Netanyahu is expected to back work on hundreds of new homes next week in addition to 2,500 units already being built...

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8239009.stm

I think this is immature, and irresponsible behaviour by Israel. If it was any other country, I feel that the US would be quicker to react in a more appropriate manner.

Israel doesn't appear to have any intentions of respecting international law, nor does it wish to create an environment for which Palestine and Israel can come together and work this whole mess out.

So what next? Israel has demonstrated that it's not willing to respect international law, and doesn't give a monkeys about what the US has to say.

I think hardened sanctions should be implemented to show Israel that the world means business. The time for bargaining with is over. Not one further step of leniency should be taken. I think the US is the position to demonstrate that they mean business, opposed to just throwing out a few cliché slaps on the wrist every now and again to keep the UN happy..

Nodin

Time to call the bluff allright.

The only question here is whether this another pre-talks rushed land grab, an attempt to provoke the Palestinians into doing something that will allow Israel to walk away from the talks in 'righteous indignation'.

Buffy the bitch

Nothing new here, Israel has always shown their disregard for international law just look at the previous war. Soon this picture will be all white.

NilByMouth

Another reason that the settlements are always being built is that anyone that is a jew has the right to live in israel.There just isnt enough land to go around and yet again its the palestinian people that suffer

Nodin

NilByMouth wrote: »

Another reason that the settlements are always being built is that anyone that is a jew has the right to live in israel.There just isnt enough land to go around and yet again its the palestinian people that suffer

Well thats not exactly true, to be honest. Theres no land shortage in Israel afaik, and not every Jew wants to go there. This is just a land grab pushed by expansionism, not overcrowding.

dresden8

Why does the US have to "plea"?

They're the worlds only superpower, who bankroll Israel with money and weapons.

You'd imagine they'd be calling the shots.

Or is this just window dressing crap?

dlofnep

dresden8 wrote: »

Why does the US have to "plea"?

Technically they don't, but there is a certain element of pressure within American politics to support Israel at all costs by Zionists.

dresden8

dlofnep wrote: »

Technically they don't, but there is a certain element of pressure within American politics to support Israel at all costs by Zionists.

Indeed, the world's only superpower of 300 million people dances to the tune of Israel, a country of 7 million people.

How bizarre.

(Hears file being opened in Jerusalem. Hiya lads!)

NilByMouth

Nodin wrote: »

Well thats not exactly true, to be honest. Theres no land shortage in Israel afaik, and not every Jew wants to go there. This is just a land grab pushed by expansionism, not overcrowding.

Alot of the land is desert and is good for nothing but farming scorpions.The land that the settlements are being built on or near is the land that the palestinians used for farming or feeding there cattle on which quite often is the only farmable land around

But yes i agrree it is just another land grab.

Overheal

Oh sure. Lambast the US when they go into Iraq and Afghanistan. How dare they overthrow mass murdering dictators and hunt after terrorist networks.

So Israel starts building new homes and suddenly you want to us to send in the Marines? WAIT RIGHT HERE I'll go fetch the President

/coat

dlofnep

Overheal wrote: »

Oh sure. Lambast the US when they go into Iraq and Afghanistan. How dare they overthrow mass murdering dictators and hunt after terrorist networks.

So Israel starts building new homes and suddenly you want to us to send in the Marines? WAIT RIGHT HERE I'll go fetch the President

/coat

Over-react much? :rolleyes:

Nobody said anything about sending in the Marines. Nobody ever favours military action.

The issue is the illegal expansion of settlements, which is at the expense of displaced Palestinians. Do you think that the settlements are ok to go ahead, and if not - What do you suggest that be done in order to make Israel listen?

Let's not forgot - they have already blatantly ignored any international pressure - So now it's time to up the stakes. Economic sanctions are the way to go.

Unless of course, you'd rather just sensationalise everything and try and take the thread off topic?

dresden8

Overheal wrote: »

Oh sure. Lambast the US when they go into Iraq and Afghanistan. How dare they overthrow mass murdering dictators and hunt after terrorist networks.

So Israel starts building new homes and suddenly you want to us to send in the Marines? WAIT RIGHT HERE I'll go fetch the President

/coat

Er what?

Why does the US need to conquer the lands of the Palestinians?

Who mentioned Iraq and Afghanistan?

Just kill Palestinians, like you're told.

Joey the lips

To quote an old saying they may talk the talk but can they walk the walk! I think not! Just because they say it does not mean they will do anything about it!

The most influential state in America is Florida! The jewish community is the strongest community in florida. With the highest admiration and respect to the jewish power they will tell the american govt what to do, not the other way around!

Buffy the bitch

Personally I would like to see the world stand up.

Ban all arm shipments to Israel, in fact ban anything they need to import, ban everything that they export. This needs to stop right now.

I hate to say it but if the other Arab countries had any balls they would join up and do the right thing destroy the Zionist state. I know it's to imagine but that's the only way things like this will stop.

Sand

hate to say it but if the other Arab countries had any balls they would join up and do the right thing destroy the Zionist state. I know it's to imagine but that's the only way things like this will stop.

Yeah, they tried that 3 or 4 times already. Thats why Israel has been getting bigger over the years.

wes

Sand wrote: »

Yeah, they tried that 3 or 4 times already. Thats why Israel has been getting bigger over the years.

Nah, Israel got bigger as that was always part of the plan, you know the whole greater Israel business, inspired by either the Bible or ethnic based nationalism, take your pick, either brand does the job.

As for the settlements, I think it fair to say that the Israeli government, simply does not want peace and will play the US for the fools they clearly are.

Mark200

dresden8 wrote: »

Why does the US have to "plea"?

They're the worlds only superpower, who bankroll Israel with money and weapons.

You'd imagine they'd be calling the shots.

Or is this just window dressing crap?

Because you plea with allies. Nothing really is going to change the fact that the US and Israel are allies. I think it's pretty good that Obama is even standing up to Israel and telling them they're wrong in what they're doing. Not many presidents would have done that, and McCain made it very clear that he would not have stood up to Israel.

If your friend was doing something that you fundamentally disagreed with, you'd plea with them to not do it. You wouldn't control them or threaten them just because you might happen to be stronger.

Buffy the bitch

Sand wrote: »

Yeah, they tried that 3 or 4 times already. Thats why Israel has been getting bigger over the years.

Tried with when? Oh over 50 years ago wars are fought different now. They ran like ****s when they were getting hammered by Russian made anti tank missiles. They're getting bigger out of greed taking land.

Something has to be done for these poor people and an all war might actually work but they don't have the guts.

Buffy the bitch

Off topic but I'd like to get some opinions.

I'm very interested in doing something, clothes are banned by Israel is there any group how do collect clothes and send them to Gaza? I'd be interested in doing it but don't know where to look?

jank

The land is one thing but what will Israel do with the people who currently live there? They are not going away and their population is by far growing faster than the Israelis.

Israel, as these polices show are nothing more than a 21st century South Africa. Instead of racial apartheid its a religious apartheid.

jank

Overheal wrote: »

Oh sure. Lambast the US when they go into Iraq and Afghanistan. How dare they overthrow mass murdering dictators and hunt after terrorist networks.

So Israel starts building new homes and suddenly you want to us to send in the Marines? WAIT RIGHT HERE I'll go fetch the President

/coat

I have to question any point you raised here to the relevance of this thread.

nesf

Less of the handbags and less of the baiting please.

nesf

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

I hate to say it but if the other Arab countries had any balls they would join up and do the right thing destroy the Zionist state.

If you're trying to get yourself banned then you're off to a good start. Please do not bait people on this forum if you want to continue posting in it.

Buffy the bitch

nesf wrote: »

If you're trying to get yourself banned then you're off to a good start. Please do not bait people on this forum if you want to continue posting in it.

I don't see anything wrong with my post to honest.

Sorry

nesf

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

I don't see anything wrong with my post to honest.

Sorry

Calling for the destruction of the Zionist state is almost guaranteed to provoke angry responses from people. Statements like this aren't allowed on the forum because of this rather than because of the validity of the argument.

Threads on this topic descend into pointless bickering very quickly, this makes the above even more relevant here.

Buffy the bitch

nesf wrote: »

Calling for the destruction of the Zionist state is almost guaranteed to provoke angry responses from people. Statements like this aren't allowed on the forum because of this rather than because of the validity of the argument.

Threads on this topic descend into pointless bickering very quickly, this makes the above even more relevant here.

Well I doubt many would not agree, I don't mean killing all Jews just Zionism they are nothing but a bunch of racist bastards. Just because Hitler treated them bad doesn't give them the power to the same.

Oh on second thoughts it Israel the country who can do no wrong :rolleyes:

nesf

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

Well I doubt many would not agree, I don't mean killing all Jews just Zionism they are nothing but a bunch of racist bastards. Just because Hitler treated them bad doesn't give them the power to the same.

Oh on second thoughts it Israel the country who can do no wrong :rolleyes:

Calling for the deaths of certain people on here isn't ok mate regardless of how justified you might think it is.

Buffy the bitch

nesf wrote: »

Calling for the deaths of certain people on here isn't ok mate regardless of how justified you might think it is.

Ok sorry.

OldJay

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

Nothing new here, Israel has always shown their disregard for international law just look at the previous war. Soon this picture will be all white.

Your map doesn't show Egyptian, Jordanian or Syrian occupied lands in the first three images.

Nodin

Overheal wrote: »

So Israel starts building new homes and suddenly you want to us to send in the Marines? WAIT RIGHT HERE I'll go fetch the President

/coat

No, just stop sending the cash and using the vetoes...

dresden8

Mark200 wrote: »

If your friend was doing something that you fundamentally disagreed with, you'd plea with them to not do it. You wouldn't control them or threaten them just because you might happen to be stronger.

If your friend was doing something that you fundamentally disagreed with you wouldn't give them more money to go on doing it.

Israel is not America's ally, America is Israel's bitch.

"Stop the settlements" pleads America, "phuck you" says Israel, "now come across with the money and weapons".

dlofnep

Looks like the EU has issued a statement also.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iYLs-4nfedjBTxFa4xn2PR4S84_Q

Overheal

jank wrote: »

I have to question any point you raised here to the relevance of this thread.

These chaps here who seem to think its ok for the US to bully other countries when its suits them, but would otherwise admonish the US when it didnt.

dlofnep wrote: »

I think hardened sanctions should be implemented to show Israel that the world means business. The time for bargaining with is over. Not one further step of leniency should be taken. I think the US is the position to demonstrate that they mean business, opposed to just throwing out a few cliché slaps on the wrist every now and again to keep the UN happy..

Enforce sanctions, how exactly? Military force? Spongebob Squarepants? This isnt Cuba, and a blockade won't work - before you say it.

Nodin wrote: »

Time to call the bluff allright.

dresden8 wrote: »

Why does the US have to "plea"?

They're the worlds only superpower, who bankroll Israel with money and weapons.

You'd imagine they'd be calling the shots.

Or is this just window dressing crap?

dlofnep wrote: »

Technically they don't, but there is a certain element of pressure within American politics to support Israel at all costs by Zionists.

.

Anyway some other posts seem unfortunately right - can't use the stick, have to use the carrot. Money and Weapons. bribes essentially. Either way, is our interference really helping?

dlofnep

Overheal wrote: »

Enforce sanctions, how exactly? Military force? Spongebob Squarepants? This isnt Cuba, and a blockade won't work - before you say it.

Halt financial support. The US donates 3 billion annually to Israel's defense fund and has offered to give it another $30 billion between 2008 and 2017. Threaten to cut the defense fund if they do not comply with international law. Threaten to cut trade agreements.

If the US threatened to pull $30 billion in military aid, Israel would get it's act together very lively. Not that that'd ever do that, because Israel control's American foreign policy. If they didn't, the US would have pulled aid out of there a LONG time ago.

Salvelinus

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

Personally I would like to see the world stand up.

Ban all arm shipments to Israel, in fact ban anything they need to import, ban everything that they export. This needs to stop right now.

I hate to say it but if the other Arab countries had any balls they would join up and do the right thing destroy the Zionist state. I know it's to imagine but that's the only way things like this will stop.

Yeah sure because if Israel is gone Palestine will be a peaceful wonderland.

Nodin

At least he's honest......

Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai said Sunday that a planned freeze in West Bank settlement construction was only a "strategic delay," implying the move would not be a long-term Israeli policy.

"The postponement in construction is a strategic delay," said Yishai at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. "We won't give up on building in Jerusalem and will still build hundreds of construction units. We are looking ahead, here."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1112679.html

jank

These chaps here who seem to think its ok for the US to bully other countries when its suits them, but would otherwise admonish the US when it didnt.

Well what do you think the US should do?

prinz

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

I hate to say it but if the other Arab countries had any balls they would join up and do the right thing destroy the Zionist state.

:pac: I'd quit while you're behind pal.

Joey the lips wrote: »

The most influential state in America is Florida!

ok.

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

Tried with when? Oh over 50 years ago wars are fought different now. They ran like ****s when they were getting hammered by Russian made anti tank missiles. They're getting bigger out of greed taking land..

No. Not over 50 years ago.

Buffy the bitch wrote: »

Something has to be done for these poor people and an all war might actually work but they don't have the guts.

Try looking at some history books. Israel is not the only country occupying the land formerly known as Palestine. What have the other "Arab" countries done for them? .

jank wrote: »

The land is one thing but what will Israel do with the people who currently live there? They are not going away and their population is by far growing faster than the Israelis..

Possibly integrate them into Israel. People tend to forget there is a sizeable minority of non-Jewish 'Arab' Israelis, with citizenship, equal rights etc. Reconcile that with your religious apatheid...

Further settlements are not a good idea. Of course it's interesting to note voices of dissent from within Israel are willfully ignored in favour of portraying the homogenous image of the evil zionists.

dlofnep

prinz wrote: »

Possibly integrate them into Israel. People tend to forget there is a sizeable minority of non-Jewish 'Arab' Israelis, with citizenship, equal rights etc. Reconcile that with your religious apatheid...

Why should they integrate them into Israel, when Israel illegally occupies the land? Does that mean, that every nation that flexes it's military strength to support a language grab can just integrate them into their country?

Absolute nonsense.

prinz wrote: »

Further settlements are not a good idea.

Oh really? But you just suggested integrating them into Israel. You surely can't have that much of an issue with it.

That facts remain - Israel illegally occupies land, and has forced the eviction of Palestinian people from their own land, has knocked down their houses and forced them to live under extreme conditions.

Jerusalem was designated as an international city by the UN, but Israel wants both west & east Jerusalem. They make no apologies about this either, and are quite clear in their intentions to defy international law.

You have to look at all this in the Palestinian eyes - A foreign government gives land to a foreign people at the expense of the native people, who have since then - been removed from their land and have had their plight totally ignored.

prinz

dlofnep wrote: »

Why should they integrate them into Israel, when Israel illegally occupies the land? Does that mean, that every nation that flexes it's military strength to support a language grab can just integrate them into their country? Absolute nonsense.
Oh really? But you just suggested integrating them into Israel. You surely can't have that much of an issue with it.

Perhaps you should look at what I was responding to before you jump your hobby horse. I never 'suggested' Israel 'should'. Just laying out the facts as it does and has happened before, so how exactly is it nonsense?

Unless you're going to argue that there isn't a large Palestinian minority already within the borders of Israel...

Nodin

prinz wrote: »

Possibly integrate them into Israel. .

All the major Israeli parties are against the idea.

prinz wrote: »

People tend to forget there is a sizeable minority of non-Jewish 'Arab' Israelis, with citizenship, equal rights etc..

...who suffer massive institutional discrimination.

prinz wrote: »

Reconcile that with your religious apatheid....

...the "apartheid" occurs in the West Bank/Arab East Jerusalem.

uprising

The U.S. policy on Israel is all talk, nothing more, say a few kind word's in favour of the Palestinians, then give Israel the mean's to blow them to pieces.









Same sh1t, different colour.

prinz

Nodin wrote: »

All the major Israeli parties are against the idea...

Depends on what the future holds tbh. If Israeli ownership of the West Bank etc is recognised then I think it would definitely be on the table.

Nodin wrote: »

...who suffer massive institutional discrimination..

Such as? In recent polls the majority of Arab Israelis chose to maintain the Jewish nature of Israel and would prefer to live in Israel than in any future Palestinian state...

Nodin wrote: »

...the "apartheid" occurs in the West Bank/Arab East Jerusalem.

So you agree that Israel itself is not run on an apartheid basis re the Arab minority, currently about 20% of the population, but the "occupied territories" are?

Nodin

prinz wrote: »

Depends on what the future holds tbh. If Israeli ownership of the West Bank etc is recognised then I think it would definitely be on the table.

How could it be on the table when no Israeli party with any hope of being in Government in a majority position backs it? It's a complete non-runner.

prinz wrote: »

Such as? In recent polls the majority of Arab Israelis chose to maintain the Jewish nature of Israel and would prefer to live in Israel than in any future Palestinian state... .

"polls"? The only poll that indicated such (to my knowledge at least) was one conducted by the Jerusalem Post, making it as reliable as a Fox News effort on the Obama administration. In the mean time we see Arab Israelis who want to integrate into a "mixed" society having the door slammed in their face. eg

"For Israel's Arab Citizens, Isolation and Exclusion"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/19/AR2007121902681.html?hpid=topnews

"IDF widows' organization blacklisted minority members "
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=843940

"U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2005 - Israel and the Occupied Territories "
"The Government discriminates against non-Jewish citizens and residents, the vast majority of whom are Arab Muslims and Christians, in the areas of employment, education, and housing."
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=437c9cec32

I'd suggest the weight of evidence is quite sufficient to put the lie to whatever the Post might conclude. Were you to ask Arabs what they thought were they to be treated as equals, one might get such an answer, but as it stands it would counter sense.

The Bedouin of course, are treated even more poorly than their co-religonists.

prinz wrote: »

So you agree that Israel itself is not run on an apartheid basis re the Arab minority, currently about 20% of the population, but the "occupied territories" are?

Its run on a de facto racist/sectarian basis, but it could not be called "Apartheid". The OT however, has segregation, a two tier "justice" system and different standards applied to two communities as a matter of course and policy. Thus the label must be applied there.

jank

prinz wrote: »

Possibly integrate them into Israel.

LOL, You have to remember that Israel is a Jewish state and is defined as such, they are NOT going to integrate 3 million odd angry Muslims into their state any time soon making Jews a minority. As much chance of that happening as Jews leaving Israel.

So the question remains, what are Israel going to do here?

prinz wrote: »

People tend to forget there is a sizeable minority of non-Jewish 'Arab' Israelis, with citizenship, equal rights etc. Reconcile that with your religious apatheid...

Wasn't there a bill proposed a while back stating that only people who express loyalty to Israel i.e. jews could become citizens of Israel. It was defeated but just shows you the sentiment many hold of Arab-Israelis.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7870743.stm


As for equal rights. Well they have as much equal rights as blacks had in the south 30 years ago. Rights in theory but in practice leaves alot to be desired.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8164755.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8073752.stm

So yea religious or whatever apartheid.

prinz wrote: »

Further settlements are not a good idea. Of course it's interesting to note voices of dissent from within Israel are willfully ignored in favour of portraying the homogenous image of the evil zionists.

Well Israel has a well oiled PR machine that always gets it point across. True that moderate voices always gets drowned out by the extremes but Israeli actions speak volumes for what they do. One must think that they have a domestic mandate to continue these settlements otherwise they would not get voted in time and again. Make you wonder what the hell is Israel turning into.

Neo-South Africa?? Hard to argue against it.

prinz

Nodin wrote: »

"polls"? The only poll that indicated such (to my knowledge at least) was one conducted by the Jerusalem Post, making it as reliable as a Fox News effort on the Obama administration. In the mean time we see Arab Israelis who want to integrate into a "mixed" society having the door slammed in their face.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/995466.html

Harvard Uni?

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/853564.html

http://www.danielpipes.org/5314/palestinians-who-prefer-israel

A few days later, the results of a survey conducted by Kul Al-Arab indicated a completely different view among the city's residents. In the survey conducted among 1,000 residents [of Um Al-Fahm], both male and female, from all of the town's clans and large families as well as all segments of the local political spectrum, 83 percent of respondents opposed the idea of transferring their city to Palestinian jurisdiction, while 11 percent supported the proposal and 6 percent did not express their position.
Of those opposed to the idea, 54 percent explained that they were against becoming part of a Palestinian state because they wanted to continue living under a democratic regime and enjoying a good standard of living, which includes National Insurance allowances and pensions. Of these opponents, 18 percent stated that they were satisfied with their present situation, that they were born in Israel and that they were not interested in moving to any other state. Another 14 percent of this same group went so far as to say that they were not prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of the creation of a Palestinian state and to be its "sacrificial offering of atonement." Another 11 percent cited no reason for their opposition to the annexation of their city by the Palestinian state.

from Likud Party website.

Nodin wrote: »

I'd suggest the weight of evidence is quite sufficient to put the lie to whatever the Post might conclude. Were you to ask Arabs what they thought were they to be treated as equals, one might get such an answer, but as it stands it would counter sense.The Bedouin of course, are treated even more poorly than their co-religonists..

And yet the Bedouin are more likely to vote for mainstream Israeli parties and to volunteer for IDF service..

Nodin wrote: »

Its run on a de facto racist/sectarian basis.

Which would explain the Arab-Israeli politcal parties, members of the Knesset, Supreme Court Justices, soccer players for the Israeli national team etc..

Nodin

prinz wrote: »

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/995466.html

Harvard Uni?

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/853564.html

http://www.danielpipes.org/5314/palestinians-who-prefer-israel

..

....none of which counters the facts of discrimination on the ground.

prinz wrote: »

And yet the Bedouin are more likely to vote for mainstream Israeli parties and to volunteer for IDF service....

And in the Second World War, Afro-Americans joined the American Army, despite segregation and racism.

Does this read like equal treatment to you?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negev_Bedouin

prinz wrote: »

Which would explain the Arab-Israeli politcal parties, members of the Knesset, Supreme Court Justices, soccer players for the Israeli national team etc..

...and again, the facts on the ground show quite a less rosy picture. Or am I, the UN, the US state department and everyone else making it up?

dlofnep

prinz wrote: »

Depends on what the future holds tbh. If Israeli ownership of the West Bank etc is recognised then I think it would definitely be on the table.

Why would it be recognised? Are you for the recognition of illegal occupation?

prinz

dlofnep wrote: »

Why would it be recognised? Are you for the recognition of illegal occupation?

I'd support the establishment of an independent entity, with international support to get it established and stabilised, free from external influence, pressure, and control, that repudiates terrorism. Until that happens then I support the Israelis staying where they are in occupying the West Bank.

As a matter of interest do you regard the Jordanian annexation of the East Bank to be an illegal occupation? Why was it ok to recognise that?

Nodin

prinz wrote: »

I'd support the establishment of an independent entity, with international support to get it established and stabilised, free from external influence, pressure, and control, that repudiates terrorism. Until that happens then I support the Israelis staying where they are in occupying the West Bank.

I'm sorry, but since when did "repudiating terrorism" become part of the requirement for a state? Certainly it would have blocked the foundation of both our own and the Israeli state. And regardless of Palestinian statehood, or the lack of it, or Palestinian actions, Israel has no right to colonise the area with civillians.

Secondly, Abbas has held in check the various armed PLO/Fatah factions and clamped down on Hamas for the last few years. His "reward" is continued expansion by Israel. Clearly its not the Palestinian side that need reigning in.

prinz

Nodin wrote: »

I'm sorry, but since when did "repudiating terrorism" become part of the requirement for a state? Certainly it would have blocked the foundation of both our own and the Israeli state. And regardless of Palestinian statehood, or the lack of it, or Palestinian actions, Israel has no right to colonise the area with civillians.

So you think it would be perfectly acceptable to continue the suicide attacks, mortar attacks, kidnappings etc even with the establishment of a Palestinian state? I don't support further settlements.

Nodin wrote: »

Secondly, Abbas has held in check the various armed PLO/Fatah factions and clamped down on Hamas for the last few years. His "reward" is continued expansion by Israel. Clearly its not the Palestinian side that need reigning in.

Clearly they both have issues to "reign in".