Today’s Washington Post (11/2/09) notes the White House’s apparent softening towards the Israeli side in Mideast negotiations (the headline is “Israel Putting Forth ‘Unprecedented’ Concessions, Clinton Says,” a good indication of the current administration stance). The Post tells us that the Palestinian position “appears to have hardened in recent days,” with “little room to negotiate on the key demand for a settlement freeze.”
But the paper’s summary of the Palestinian position does little to explain this “key demand”:
The Palestinians regard the land occupied by about 300,000 West Bank settlers as part of a future Palestinian state, and consider continued settlement activity an effort to influence negotiations.
Israel promised to halt settlements under previous international agreements, and Palestinian officials say they want those promises fulfilled.
The primary Palestinian objection to Israeli settlements is not that they are “an effort to influence negotiations,” or because Israel has “promised” to do something about them. These settlements, as colonies established in the wake of a military occupation, are violations of international law; any attempts to obscure that reality misinform readers.
Only an ideologue believes that Israel really intends to treat the Palestinians fairly. The entire history of Israel since 1947 has been one land grab after another.
The United States should immediately inform Israel that they either give up the illegal settlements and move to the peace table, or we cease any and all aid, including spare parts for the billions of dollars worth of military equipment that we have provided the Israelis.
I have no respect for those House Democrats who voted for the resolution condemning the Goldstone report on the Gaza invasion. It is disheartening to say the least, when a party that is supposed to care about people, votes so overwhelmingly against them.
Saying that “the White House’s apparent softening towards the Israeli side in Mideast negotiations” implies that they were hard to Israel to begin with and, as we know, that NEVER happened and is not likely to happen any time soon.
When I was a kid (I’m 71), I was told in Mormon sunday school that the church supported the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel. I was confused. My parents were Jew-bashers (and racist and sexist). I thought it was a plot to get them all in one place and kill them with one blow. In any case, it was a suicidal move. Jews, by appealing to their horrific, holocaust background, were put there to be a major military base for the U.S. This has backfired. There will not be peace in this world until the Palestinians are given back their land and dignity. // Jean Clelland-Morin
The creation of a State Israel was an act of kindness. Supporting a State of Israel that expands its lands after military action is an International crime. To participate with a state that feeds its paranoia by using bombs and machine guns against civilians to discourage ineffective rockets is a crime of conscience. The U.S. should stay away from these provincial mad men … their rightful enemies have become our enemies, their crimes have become our crimes. Enough already