Link
June 13, 2009 at 5:00 pm (Barack Obama, Israel, Occupied West Bank, Palestine)
Israeli settlers wary, defiant in West Bank
By Paula Hancocks
(CNN) — Many Jewish settlers in the West Bank believe the land was promised to them in the Bible by God.
U.S. President Barack Obama has called for a freeze on all building in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
By that rationale, the thoughts of the U.S. president or even their own leaders means little.
But there is concern among settlers that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may buckle under pressure from President Obama’s new U.S. administration and freeze the expansion of any settlements in the West Bank or what they refer to by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria.
So far Netanyahu has spoken of his support for the “natural growth” of existing settlements — putting clear water between himself and the U.S. president. Netanyahu is scheduled to make a major speech on the peace process on Sunday.
Around 280,000 Jewish settlers live in 121 settlements — almost 200,000 more live in East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli-based Peace Now group, which wants settlements in the West Bank evacuated so that a two-state solution can be pursued.
But this is land the Palestinians want as a future state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Critics – both within and beyond Israel – say the settlements are nothing more than a land grab that only complicates the task of achieving a lasting peace; but many settlers say the West Bank is Jewish land and if Palestinians want to live there they must abide by Israeli law.
David Ha’ivri has lived in the West Bank for almost 20 years and says the U.S. has no right to tell him where to live. “We have God on our side and we will be able to exist with help or without help of any foreign nation.”
He adds: “The Palestinians are welcome to go and live in their own country on the east of the Jordan river (meaning Jordan), and the Jews have every right to grow and expand on the west side of the Jordan river (meaning the West Bank).
Over the years U.S. administrations have skirted around the issue of settlements, calling for a freeze on activity while tacitly accepting a continuation of building.
Israeli leaders have publicly supported the 2003 road map to peace, which calls for a settlement freeze, but in 2008, under the leadership of Ehud Olmert, “natural growth” was accommodated. Settlement growth last year alone was 4.9%, almost triple that of residential building in Israel itself, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
The era of gentleman’s agreements between Israel and the U.S. appear to be over.
President Obama cannot be clearer in his call for a freeze on settlement activity and Netanyahu’s policy could put him on a collision course either with the U.S. or with his largely right-wing pro-settler coalition.
Ha’ivri says: “Netanyahu was elected by the majority of people in Israel because they believed that he’d stand strong for the rights of the Jewish people in the land of Israel and if Netanyahu does not serve that purpose then we will change him with a leader who will.”
Efrat is part of a large settlement block near Bethlehem which, during the presidency of George W. Bush, Israel assumed would remain as part of any future peace deal.
Resident Eve Harow complains that U.S. policy would mean that an illegal outpost, which sometimes consists of a couple of shacks, would be equated with her neighborhood, home to around 7,500 mainly religious Jews.
She believes she needs to be in this area to create a security buffer zone between Israel and the Palestinians, saying, “The threats that face us here, if we pull back from these areas then they will face Tel Aviv. Sadly Judea and Samaria under the Palestinians will not be a neighbor that wants my existence even in the narrow waist of Tel Aviv, so by being here in Efrat I’m actually protecting the people of Tel Aviv.”
But the fact remains, Palestinians want the West Bank for their future state; the Obama administration agrees as does much of the international community.
Israelis remain divided about settlements. According to recent opinion polls, most agree that a two-state solution is the best path to peace. But they are divided about the chances of successful negotiations — as well as the future of settlers of the West Bank.
12 comments:
How Israel can continue its occupying of Palestine lands in this century violating all UN and world rules? This creating all troubles in our US.
Yeah, it says so right here in this book, the Bible... which we wrote.
The economic, social, political, and military realities all favor Israel. The Hamas has no such base except for their recognition as a terrorist organization. The Fatah may have a majority but they are powerless to control the Hamas terrorists. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt are in a demographic disarray. Israel can not afford to have enemies in the southwest (Gaza) and the West Bank with a road through the country to accomodate the Palestinians. Obama should stay out of the entire matter. Sec. of State Hillary Clinton should stay at home with her husband. She can't even manage the situation with Monica Lewinsky! The only country in the middle east with the ability to keep things cool is Israel. The arab world is in disarray. If we don't buy their oil, the king of Saudi would be nothing more than a sand flea.
Our priortiy should be find Bin Laden. Wanna bet Saudi Arabia is financing that coward?
The land belongs to the Palestinian refugees who were displaced by foreign occupation and who were illegally not allowed to return to their homes. In all logic the land belongs to the people who lived there for the past two thousand years, not the the two thousand year old ancestors of previous occupiers. If the law of return applies to Jews it should definitely apply to the Palestinians whose legal right it is to live in the land of their parents. This is a disgrace to American foreign policy to only speak and not act. Let the consequences fall, honestly our relationship with those who own the resources of land and oil, are more important than catering with such dire consequence to such an immoral and illegal entity.
Anonymous
welcome, pleace use a name
The reason Israel has to be stopped is (for instance!!) this:
http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/photos/maps/landloss.html
For decennia this has happened and IS still happening, with support of US. It is high time for 'change', a lot of violence is caused by this inequality, neverending support to Israel.
The reason many of your soldiers (US I mean) die for this cause in Irak etc..
By the way, I am 'another anonymous', I had some problems posting this so I tried again, I am anonymous ank from Holland...;-)
Die you BRAINWASHED terrorist supporting scumbags!
There is no "Palestine" and thus no "Palestinians" - its a term of the long dead Roman Empire applied in its ethnic cleansing of Israel after the Great Revolts of 66 and 132 CE.
There is only Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron), not this ridiculous term "West Bank". It is the core of the sacred homeland of the Jews. Read your history you left wing idiots.
The Arabs have never,ever wanted peace. Since 1947 (and before) the Arabs have continually attacked and waged war in one form or another against Israel and Jews in general.
850,000 Jews from the Arab world who lived long before Islam were EXPELLED and forced into exile. Where is their compensation or right to return? And the world expects Israel to give up land to the Arab thieves? Give me a break.
It was the ARABS who told their occupying civilians to leave Israel during the War of Independence in 1947-8. They and Iran are committed to destroying Israel whatever they say.
Obama and the EU should stop interfering with Israel's right to exist, Judea and Samaria belongs to Israel,.
The only permanent solution is the annexation of Judea, Samaria and Gaza and expulsion of the terrorist bloodthirsty Arabs who unlawfully dwell there. The Arabs don't understand their utter defeat and insanity. Hamas, the PLO, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda etc. need to be WIPED OUT for all of the World's good.A) There is no "Palestine" and thus no "Palestinians" - its a term of the long dead Roman Empire applied in its ethnic cleansing of Israel after the Great Revolts of 66 and 132 CE. It is Latin for Philistia - Philistines. They disappeared back in the 6th century BCE.
There is only Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron), no "West Bank". It is the sacred homeland of the Jews. Read your history you left you ignoramuses. Judea and Samaria belongs to the Jews of Israel, not to THE ARAB LAND THIEVES. The Arabs should be expelled.
The Arabs have never,ever wanted peace. Since 1947 (and before) the Arabs have continually attacked and waged war in one form or another against Israel and Jews in general.
850,000 Mizrahi Jews from the Arab world who lived long before Islam were EXPELLED and forced into exile. Where is there compensation or right to return? And the world expects Israel to give up land to the Arab thieves?
It was the ARABS who told their occupying civilians to leave Israel during the War of Independence in 1947-8. The Arab world and Iran are committed to destroying Israel. Anyone who doesn't think that they don't mean what they say literally is an imbecile. They are not playing around.
The conqueror dictates the fate of the vanquished. The Arabs lost the wars. Israel has reclaimed what is rightfully hers.
Obama and the EU should stop interfering with Israel's right to exist, its pressure on Israel to give up Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.
The Arab states have used the "Filastines" as a political pawn for their own interests. They have never accepted them or absorbed them, instead leaving them second class citizens. They have enough land and do not have any right to Israel's
The UN (a uncredible, un-democratic, toothless racist organization) recognizes "Filastines" as the only refugees whose 2nd, 3rd, 4th generations are recognized. Thus 600,000 or so who left are now 2.5 million.
Israel needs to stand up to the US and annex Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Wiping out Iran's nuclear weapon capability is completely legitimate. No one wants war, but Iran's mullah's are INSANE and want to destabilize and dominate the Middle East.
Israel is not racist or an "apartheid" state. Israel's non Jewish citizens have more rights and freedom than any of the Arab states. In any case Israel is a JEWISH state, so these delusional ideas of a binational state are completely ridiculous.
The Arab land thieves wouldn't even accept the concessions Israel made to that bloodthirsty murderer Arafat and his lackeys. They lost their right to any state whatsoever. Jordan and Egypt need to take back their people.
blablabla... Long stories with lies and denials.
Israel is an occupying country and behaving like that, whether you like to hear it or not. We have seen that the last decennia, the last time in december/january recently.
and if you look at the link I earlier posted, you can see how little of Palestine land has been left because of this politics. It has to stop finally. This politics in Israel, untill now always supported by US, has caused insecurity for the rest of the world.
I really hope Obama will bring change here, but I already heard he has big problems about this with the many jewish lobbies in US and Israel.
The problem is, in US most people seems not aware of what really happens in Gaza and West-Bank, because public opinion is influenced by powerfull israelian/jewish lobbies. Even half a year ago, when the whole world witnessed the slaughtering of Palestinians in Gaza, US sent a big shipment of weapons.
Obama promises change and I really hope he will be able to do so (and stay safe!). But never ever the Israelians would do something about the settlements unless forced, for instance another resolution? And may be this time with an embargo?
I agree what you say about the power of the zionist groups, papers (elections!!) in US.
but I really hope Obama's change is more than to fool the arab world. I hope it comes from realising they (US)did wrong so far toward the Middle East problem(s). There would be nothing wrong with admitting your mistakes, like guantanamo bay, abu ghraibh, supporting Israel in its war crimes.
I hope US civilians will see at last that this support of isralian crimes against humanity. But this will need some (a lot of) time, I fear. Untill now they (US civilians) only heard one side of the story.
now it is time for Palestinians (helped by rich arab countries) to fight back, not with weapens, no let them please be the wisest, but with the "weapons of the writing, the reasoning, the words", with showing the world the other side, bring it out for the world to see what's really happening in the occupied Gaza and West-Bank. So the world will see: no the palestinians are right, not terrorists, they are occupied and fighting for their freedom.
Obama can help a bit with this and I really hope my hopes in this will come true.
Israel wants US (and the world) to help them to make war against Iran. Let's see what happens this weeks,let's hope Obama does not fall for Israels tricks in this...
Ank
Did you heard netanyah's No's
I just posted it.
Let us waite to see Obama's reaction
Post a Comment