Israel proposes MORE settler homes in East Jerusalem and West Bank while supposedly holding peace talks with Kerry

Israel unveils plans for more settler homes
Proposed units in occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem draw criticism from Netanyahu's own coalition partners.
Last updated: 10 Jan 2014 21:12

Israel has announced plans to build 1,400 new homes in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The country's Housing Ministry said on Friday that it planned to construct 801 housing units in the West Bank, another 600 in East Jerusalem, and re-issue tenders for 582 units in East Jerusalem, all on land seized during the 1967 Six Day War.

The announcement enraged some of the coalition partners of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, as well as Palestinians, who want the land for their future state and who have accused Israel of lacking a commitment to peace negotiations.

But even Netanyahu's largest coalition ally, the centrist Yesh Atid party, has criticised Friday's move.

"This is a bad idea which Yesh Atid will do all it can to ensure remains just an idea that will not be implemented," Yair Lapid, who also serves as Israel's finance minister, said.

In a statement, Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, said: "The recent announcement shows Israel's clear commitment to the destruction of peace efforts and the imposition of an apartheid regime."

He called the announcement a "test" of the US administration's ability to hold Israel accountable for its attempts to derail peace efforts.

John Kerry, the US secretary of state, has made multiple trips to Jerusalem since peace talks resumed in July 2013 after a three-year deadlock.

Kerry recently condemned Israel's practice of establishing settlements on occupied territory, calling them "illegitimate".

"Let me emphasise that the position of the United States is that we consider now, and have always considered, the settlements to be illegitimate," Kerry said at a November 2013 press conference.

'Bad idea'

Friday's announcement followed a pattern whereby Israel issues new building permits shortly after releasing Palestinian prisoners.

A group of 26 Palestinians were freed at the end of December 2013 under terms of an agreement brokered by Washington as part of ongoing peace negotiations.

Anti-settlement watchdog, Peace Now, said Israel has planned to build about 5,349 new homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since direct peace talks resumed.

"Netanyahu says that he is in principle in favour of a two-state solution but he has said in previous instances that the locations of these housing units would in any case be part of Israel - no matter what the outcome of a peace accord," Al Jazeera's Tom Ackerman, reporting from Jerusalem, said.

Previous peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine fell apart in 2010 due to a dispute over settlement construction and resumed talks have made very little progress.

More than 500,000 Jewish settlers currently live in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Most countries consider Israel's settlements to be illegal.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/israel-announces-plans-more-settlements-2014110153735114390.html


What else is there to say. If Netanyahu wanted peace this would never even be considered.

Spot on but there are some people that will excuse Israel for doing that just because the Palestinians will not just roll over and accept it as part of the peace process.

Sad, isn't it?

It's worse than sad, it's bloody criminal.

Sassy wrote:It's worse than sad, it's bloody criminal.

And the UN agree that Israel has many questions to answer for not complying with resolutions passed by the international community.

Irn Bru wrote:

Sassy wrote:It's worse than sad, it's bloody criminal.

And the UN agree that Israel has many questions to answer for not complying with resolutions passed by the international community.

The UN should stand for Useless nations! For over 65 years they have done f all to sort Israel out.

And let's not forget Uri Ariel, the new housing minister, told Yedioth Ahronoth, a mass selling Israeli daily that "[b]there can only be one state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea - Israel[/b]".

http://news.sky.com/story/1066453/israel-cabinet-confirmed-ahead-of-obama-visit

How many Israeli's are now living in occupied territory?

SEXY MAMA wrote:
The UN should stand for Useless nations! For over 65 years they have done f all to sort Israel out.

This is a central theme of the American Right...has been for years.  Not for the Israeli issue, but for the UN's coddling nature and lack of military choices.  For years at a time, while they are in power, the US RW'ers will withhold payment of the US's share of support.

The UN does seem to be relatively feckless. It's an option that other nations might consider.

BigAndy9 wrote:How many Israeli's are now living in occupied territory?

According to B’Tselem there are 124 official settlements in the West Bank with approximately 350,000 residents in 2013. Official settlements are all authorized by the Israeli government, have approved planning schemes, and receive the same benefits and services as towns within Israel’s pre-1967 borders.

In addition to official settlements there are approximately 100 “outpost” settlements located throughout the West Bank. These communities are built without official approval from the Israeli government, but with financial support from Israeli government ministries and agencies. Although even the Israeli government recognizes these communities as illegal, it provides most "outposts” with state funded protection and access to water, electricity, and other basic services. Together, settlements and outposts control approximately 42% of the total land area of the West Bank.

There are an additional 14 official settlements in occupied East Jerusalem Conservative estimates place the settler population in east Jerusalem at just over 200,000 people, although recent estimates indicate that as many as 300,000 settlers may live in East Jerusalem.

SEXY MAMA wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

And the UN agree that Israel has many questions to answer for not complying with resolutions passed by the international community.

The UN should stand for Useless nations! For over 65 years they have done f all to sort Israel out.

Yes what are they doing about the growing persecution of Christians in Muslim lands?

What are they doing about Robert Mugabe?

What are they doing about the human rights issues in China, Russia, North Korea?

PhilDidge wrote:

SEXY MAMA wrote:

The UN should stand for Useless nations! For over 65 years they have done f all to sort Israel out.

Yes what are they doing about the growing persecution of Christians in Muslim lands?

What are they doing about Robert Mugabe?

What are they doing about the human rights issues in China, Russia, North Korea?

Right Didge you have really pissed the shit out of me this time so here goes

When the hell have I ever condoned what's happening to christians in muslim lands?

You keep bringing this up on EVERY Palestine thread like if its ok for the Palestinians to be treated this vile way because some christians are persecuted in Muslim lands, so its fair!
Well it isn't and aren't you the one always banging on that 2 wrongs don't make a right? Practice what you preach.
Stop deflecting the Palestinian threads and start reading into it and only then you will realise that the Palestinians have no choice in the matter so either they let their families be murdered off or try and defend not being killed by choosing to defend themselves by any means possible. I know what i would choose.

His hypocricy was compounded when he put on another thread:

Violence is always wrong but sometimes violence is also necessary,


I think defending your country from being taken by an invader, which is what Israel is, necessitates fighting back. And so far 9/10s of those killed ans maimed have been Palestinians.

Sassy wrote:His hypocricy was compounded when he put on another thread:

Violence is always wrong but sometimes violence is also necessary,


I think defending your country from being taken by an invader, which is what Israel is, necessitates fighting back.   And so far 9/10s of those killed ans maimed have been Palestinians.

At least, then, you understand the viewpoint of the IRA over Belfast and the north?

Just an example.  

Original Quill wrote:

Sassy wrote:His hypocricy was compounded when he put on another thread:

Violence is always wrong but sometimes violence is also necessary,


I think defending your country from being taken by an invader, which is what Israel is, necessitates fighting back.   And so far 9/10s of those killed ans maimed have been Palestinians.

At least, then, you understand the viewpoint of the IRA over Belfast and the north?

Just an example.

Oh dear, you must have missed that I support Ireland being one country and think we should never have split it, and that if we hadn't people would still be fighting to get it back.

The real point is, your claim is just a polemical statement.  The real danger is when someone is offering a polemical claim as an absolute.

The real point is, you thought I'd be against giving back N. Ireland, so you had to come up with something. Now, can we get back to topic of the thread, which is Israel taking more of Palestine, after their Housing Minister said:

there can only be one state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea - Israel

SEXY MAMA wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Yes what are they doing about the growing persecution of Christians in Muslim lands?

What are they doing about Robert Mugabe?

What are they doing about the human rights issues in China, Russia, North Korea?

Right Didge you have really pissed the shit out of me this time so here goes

When the hell have I ever condoned what's happening to christians in muslim lands?

You keep bringing this up on EVERY Palestine thread like if its ok for the Palestinians to be treated this vile way because some christians are persecuted in Muslim lands, so its fair!
Well it isn't and aren't you the one always banging on that 2 wrongs don't make a right? Practice what you preach.
Stop deflecting the Palestinian threads and start reading into it and only then you will realise that the Palestinians have no choice in the matter so either they let their families be murdered off or try and defend not being killed by choosing to defend themselves by any means possible. I know what i would choose.

You are missing the point Sexy there are many wrongs going on around the world yet you think one area should take precedent when all those suffering will think their view is most important.

So stop getting nasty when I am pointing out a reality to you and you are allowing emotions to get the better of you on this.

You miss the point on also how there will only be peace if both stop doing wrongs, as victims are on both sides of this.

Sassy wrote:His hypocricy was compounded when he put on another thread:

Violence is always wrong but sometimes violence is also necessary,


I think defending your country from being taken by an invader, which is what Israel is, necessitates fighting back.   And so far 9/10s of those killed ans maimed have been Palestinians.

Simple really except for those a tad slow, war is violence on a massive scale but sometimes war is necessary, here though there have been many wars fought over Israel with no successful conclusion, do you understand now?

Sassy wrote:The real point is, you thought I'd be against giving back N. Ireland, so you had to come up with something.   Now, can we get back to topic of the thread, which is Israel taking more of Palestine, after their Housing Minister said:

Sassy, it's a waste of time arguing examples. I've tried to teach you this and many other points about public debate over the past year, but you show a preference for simply arguing...and getting pissed if you don't win your way.

You can teach me nothing about Israel and Palestine, and who the hell do you think you are 'I've tried to teach you'!   I'm not in the least bit pissed off, just sad that there are so many people really ignorant about the situation, like you and Didge.

There is a common theme happening here that is simply diverting the thread away from the debate and onto a poster who is simply expressing her views.

Par for the course.

Irn Bru wrote:There is a common theme happening here that is simply diverting the thread away from the debate and onto a poster who is simply expressing her views.

You mean Sassy telling all those who counter her, they know nothing all the time or my grammar etc?

Yes it is a bit boring

Oh bless, now I know they have run out of steam.

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:There is a common theme happening here that is simply diverting the thread away from the debate and onto a poster who is simply expressing her views.

You mean Sassy telling all those who counter her, they know nothing all the time or my grammar etc?

Yes it is a bit boring

I agree. That is what is going on in this and the other thread. There's not possibility of progress here.

Sassy wrote:Oh bless, now I know they have run out of steam.

Is that what it's all about....Steam? The thread has run out of ideas.

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:There is a common theme happening here that is simply diverting the thread away from the debate and onto a poster who is simply expressing her views.

You mean Sassy telling all those who counter her, they know nothing all the time or my grammar etc?

Yes it is a bit boring

Quite common around these parts for others to do it though, isn't it?

Now, can we get back to topic of the thread, which is Israel taking more of Palestine, after their Housing Minister said:

there can only be one state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea - Israel

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


You mean Sassy telling all those who counter her, they know nothing all the time or my grammar etc?

Yes it is a bit boring

Quite common around these parts for others to do it though, isn't it?

Indeed but the point is these posts are also pointless as they further detract from the debate

Now, can we get back to topic of the thread, which is Israel taking more of Palestine, after their Housing Minister said:

there can only be one state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea - Israel

Original Quill wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


You mean Sassy telling all those who counter her, they know nothing all the time or my grammar etc?

Yes it is a bit boring

I agree.  That is what is going on in this and the other thread.  There's not possibility of progress here.

Indeed Quill anyway have said my peace on this, to me reconciliation is the way forward and not blame and claims, because blame/claims has been going on for 65 years and little has been achieved accept suffering on both sides

Original Quill wrote:

Sassy wrote:Oh bless, now I know they have run out of steam.

Is that what it's all about....Steam?  The thread has run out of ideas.

It hasn't.. You just need to concentrate on getting the subject back on track.

Sassy wrote:You can teach me nothing about Israel and Palestine, and who the hell do you think you are 'I've tried to teach you'!   I'm not in the least bit pissed off, just sad that there are so many people really ignorant about the situation, like you and Didge.

Lively, fascinating ideas, Irn.  :-:cawg:-:  I'm glued to this thread...not!

Lord, that took you a long time to dream up. Now, would you like to give an opinion on the destablising of the peace talks by Netanyahu, with his plans to build more settlement houses on occupied lands. I might add, this is somewhat of a pattern for him, because he knows it is the one thing that will stop peace talks in their tracks and is something that he does each time they reach a certain stage. With the pronouncement earlier in the year by the very housing minister who will be in charge of this that 'there can only be one state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea - Israel', it leaves the Palestinians with no choice but to carry on resisting.

i think what we need to accept is that Israel is simply reclaiming its land from the invading nation of nomadic squatters called "Palestinians"

these people have no right to be in Israel since the only reason they are there, is because of Islamic military conquest

the land of Israel belongs to the Jews who have every right to take it back

Oh that made me fall about laughing. How ignorant is that!

1 - THAT, when the Palestine Problem was created by Britain in 1917, more than 90% of the population of Palestine were Arabs, and that there were at that time no more than 56,000 Jews in Palestine?

2 - THAT, more than half of the Jews living in Palestine at that time were recent immigrants, who had come to Palestine in the preceding decades in order to escape persecution in Europe?... And that less than 5% of the population of Palestine were native Palestinian Jews?

3 - THAT, the Arabs of Palestine at that time owned 97.5% of the land, while Jews (native Palestinians and recent immigrants together) owned only 2.5% of the land?

4 - THAT, during the thirty years of British occupation and rule, the Zionists were able to purchase only 3.5% of the land of Palestine, in spite of the encouragement of the British Government?... And that much of this land was transferred to Zionist bodies by the British Government directly, and was not sold by Arab owners?

5 - THAT, therefore, when British passed the Palestine Problem to the United Nations in 1947, Zionists owned no more than 6% of the total land area of Palestine?

6 - THAT, notwithstanding these facts, the General Assembly of the United Nations recommended that a "Jewish State" be established in Palestine?... And that the Assembly granted that proposed "State" about 54% of the total area of the country?

7 - THAT, Israel immediately occupied (and still occupies) 80.48% of the total land area of Palestine?

8 - THAT, this territorial expansion took place, for the most part, before 15 May 1948: i.e., before the formal end of the British forces from Palestine, before the entry of Arab armies to protect Palestinian Arabs, and before the Arab-Israeli war?

9 - THAT, the 1947 recommendation of the General Assembly in favor of the creation of a "Jewish State" was outside the competence of the Assembly under the Charter of the United Nations?

10 - THAT, all attempts by the Arab States and other Asian countries to have the Assembly submit 3the question of constitutionality" of its recommendation to the International Court of Justice for an "advisory opinion" by the Court were rejected or ignored by the Assembly?

11 - THAT, when the Assembly began to experience "second thoughts" over the matter and convened for its second special session in 1948, it failed to reaffirm the 1947 recommendation for the partition of Palestine-thus destroying whatever dubious legality that recommendation for the establishment of a "Jewish State" had had?

12 - THAT, that original 1947 recommendation to create a "Jewish State" in Palestine was approved, at the first vote, only by European, American and Australian States...for every Asian State, and every African State (with the exception of the Union of South Africa) voted against it?...And that, when the vote was cast in plenary session on 29 November 1947, urgent American pressures (which a member of the Truman cabinet described as "bordering onto scandal") had succeeded in prevailing only upon one African country (Liberia), both of which had special vulnerability to American pressures, to abandon their declared opposition?...And that, in other words, the "Jewish State" was planted at the point-of-intersection of Asia and Africa without the free approval of any Middle Eastern, Asian or African country except that Union of South Africa, itself ruled by an alien minority?

13 - THAT, Israel remained, ever since its inception, a total stranger in the emerging world of Afro-Asia; and that Israel has been refused admission to any inter-state conference of Asian, African, Afro-Asian, or Non-Aligned States ever held?

14 - THAT, since the General Armistice Agreements were signed in 1949, Israel has maintained an aggressive policy of waging military attacks across the Armistice Demarcation Lines, repeatedly invading the territories of the neighboring Arab States...And that Israel has been duly rebuked, censured, or condemned for these military attacks by the Security Council of the General Assembly of the United Nations on eleven occasions-five times by the Security Council and six times by the General Assembly?

15 - THAT, no other country in the world, whether member of the United Nations or non-member, has been so frequently condemned by the United Nations?

16 - THAT, no Arab State has ever been condemned by any organ of the United Nations for military attacks upon Israel?

17 - THAT, besides expelling the bulk of the Arab inhabitants of Palestine, and besides constantly attacking the neighboring Arab States, Israel has also consistently harassed the United Nations observers and other personnel stationed along the Armistice Demarcation Lines: It has assassinated the first United Nations Mediator and his military aide; it has detained some truce observers; it has militarily occupied and illegally searched the Headquarters of United Nations personnel; and it has boycotted meetings of the Mixed Armistice Commissions?...

18 - THAT, Israel has additionally imposed a system of apartheid upon the Arabs who stayed in their homeland? More than 90% of these Arabs live in "security zones;" they alone live under martial law, restricting their freedom to travel from village to village or from town to town; their children are denied equal opportunities for education; and they are denied decent opportunities for work, and the right to receive "equal pay for equal work?"

19 - THAT, notwithstanding the foregoing facts, Israel has always been, and still is, widely portrayed in the Western press as the "bastion of democracy" and the "champion of peace" in the Middle East?

20 - THAT, the Western Powers have persisted in declaring their determination to ensure a so-called "arms balance" in the area, as between Israel, on the one hand, and the one-hundred million inhabitants of the thirteen Arab States, on the other hand?... And this unilateral Western doctrine of so-called "arms balance" is no more reasonable than the suggestion that, in the Cuba-U.S.A conflict, there should be "arms balance" as between Cuba and the United States... or that the whole Continent of Africa should not be allowed to acquire more arms than South Africa... or that Mainland China should not be permitted to have more arms than Taiwan... or that the military allowed to acquire more arms than South Africa... and that only thus can peace be safeguarded in the Western Hemisphere, in Africa, in Asia, or in Europe?...

21 - THAT, Israel allots 85% of the water resources in the occupied territories for Jews and the remaining 15% is divided among all Palestinians in the territories? For example in Hebron, 85% of the water is given to about 500 settlers, while 15% must be divided among Hebron's 120,000 Palestinians?

22 - THAT, The United States awards Israel $3 billion in aid each year, more than to any other country in the world: US aid to Israel exceeds the aid the US grants to the whole sub-Sahara Africa?

23 - THAT, GDP, per capita, and consumption per capita in the Occupied Territories have dropped about 15 percent in the West Bank and Gaza since 1993 - that's even with large foreign assistance pouring in, from Europe, mostly?

24 - THAT, Up until 1993, the U.S. and Israel permitted humanitarian aid to come into the territories. UN humanitarian aid was permitted into the West Bank and Gaza. In 1993, that was restricted?

25 - THAT, Israel is the only country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons?

26 - THAT, Israel is the only country in the Middle East that refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and bars international inspections from its sites?

27 - THAT, Israel currently occupies territories of two sovereign nations (Lebanon and Syria) in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions?

28 - THAT, High-ranking military officers in the Israeli Defense Forces have admitted publicly that unarmed prisoners of war were executed by the IDF?

29 - THAT, Israel refuses to prosecute its soldiers who have acknowledged executing prisoners of war?

30 - THAT, Israel routinely confiscates bank accounts, businesses, and land from Palestinians and refuses to pay compensation to those who suffer the confiscation?

31 - THAT, Israel stands in defiance of 69 United Nations Security Council Resolutions?

32 - THAT, Israel's current prime minister, Ariel Sharon, was found by an Israeli court to be "personally responsible" for the Sabra and Shatilla massacres in Lebanon in which thousands of unarmed Palestinian refugees were slaughtered in 1982?

33 - THAT, Today's Israel sits on the former sites of more than 400 destroyed Palestinian villages, and that the Israelis renamed almost every physical site in the country to cover up the traces?

i think perhaps a little show and tell is in order

'A production of the Terrorist Awareness Project'  ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: 

correct

i see you have not taken issue with anything the presentation says

I saw who was presenting it and knew the bias and complete lack of any fact there would be.   Anti Islam group, right up your street.

and seeing how dreadful it would be you choose to ::rfth:: 

disappointing but expected

No, don't fill my head with biased crap, stick to facts, not fiction.

well sassy

its clear that you only fill your head with "facts" that you approve of

the presentation i put up poses a lot of challenges to the "facts" you have been pushing

if you don't wish to see what those challenges are and rise to meet them then i certainly wont beg you to do so

i suppose its much easier to simply ignore what you consider inconvenient

Smelly, you're a joke, rather a nasty joke, but a joke nonetheless. So you can post whatever you like, as i told Didge, it's something I have been studying and corresponding with peace activists in Israel for years, so I know what the truth is. You on the other hand couldn't tell it from a wet fish, and wouldn't want to tell it from a wet fish. Anyone who defends people like Breivik isn't worth a single thought.

this really is a waste of my time

phil didge told me to come here because there is apparently there some left wing champion on here who he said would "chew me up",

so far not even a nibble

i hope you're not the champion he was talking about.

sure you have, i mean between your time in Vietnam and now Israel you must be the world premier expert on every country going

you claim to know so much but don't seem to be able to offer any thoughts of your own that actually coincides with historical fact

so far all your studies and correspondence have produced is a one track point of view from the Palestinians side of the fence, doesn't sound like you have studied fact sassy, sounds more like you have accepted emotional opinion as fact

you're attitude seems very accepting of the terrorist activities of the Palestinians against Israel, the rocket attacks on Israeli suburbs including schools doesn't seem to worry you, you seem more outraged by Israels defense of its citizens and borders

but then again one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter, so its hardly surprising that you would reclassify these terrorist attacks against Israel as "acts of resistance"

its a lot easier on the conscious to support a freedom fighter than a terrorist

Smelly, it is worth debating with some people, it's not worth debating with someone who is so disgusting they supported Brievik and said that it was ok the children died because they would grow up to be left wing. I don't waste my time with people like you.

you seem quite gullible but you really should listen to everything you get told by every tramp and big issue salesman

this is why you have it so wrong with Israel, listening to too many horror stories about imaginary boogeymen

not sure what you are on about with breivik but i do believe you have been lied to

my personal belief is that you are simply too ignorant of facts to be able to intelligently debate this issue with me and so have fabricated a reason to avoid talking to me which is slightly confusing since there is a much easier way to avoid me, simply place me on your ignore list

but when i see someone like yourself exhibiting a disturbingly anti Semitic attitude i make it my moral prerogative to stand up and defend against your attitude regardless of how vile i find your views, in fact the more vile your views, the more i dig in.

you seem to be willing to run away from me because your find my views disgusting, not exactly what i would call having the courage of your convictions

Anti Israel Government, as are the Israeli peace activists.   Their government actions cause them shame, because they have consciences and are there and know exactly what is happening and has happened. And I don't need to run from you, you barely register.

the Israeli government are Jews fighting for the survival of their Jewish countrymen

therefore you are anti Semitic, since you oppose the government who is protecting the Jews from another holocaust

but this is a perfect example of how one sided your views are

you condemn the actions of the Israeli govt but say nothing about the actions of the Palestinian terrorist activity

its a bit difficult to take you seriously when your ivory tower is so rickety

 

I've never taken you seriously Smelly, don't know anyone who does.