Seriously, I'm just amazed at the arguments being played out in Israel at the moment over whether construction of settlements (colonies on Palestinian land captured in 1967) should continue after the freeze ends in September.
Netanyahu is saying that if he DOES extend the freeze, then his government will fall.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-continuing-settlement-freeze-will-topple-israel-s-government-1.304671
In effect saying that if Israel stops stealing land, the Government will fall!
One of the comments put it quite prosaically:
Can't eat the pizza while negotiating its division
Logios 29.07.1004:18
What a ludicrous idea: build settlements while negotiating with the Palestinians how to divide the land, including the land on which the settlement is being built. Of course this is a showstopper and nobody will agree to this (except the Israeli side). There will obviously be a building freeze, whether by a formal government decision or by a "word of honor" (if Israel can find some man of honor influential enough to make the commitment). Perhaps Netanyahu will guarantee to Obama some acceptable measure of a freeze, and Obama will commit to Abbas to have this implemented. But some reasonable freeze is a certainty.
And today we also have a report from Haaretz again about the apartheid wall (separation wall/barrier) that is also being used to steal land (by building it within the land captured in 1967) - with Israel cynically speeding up the construction of the wall around a Palestinian village despite there being a court proceedings against the wall's route (which will surround the village on 3 sides and separate it from large tracts of its land - i.e. Israel is stealing the land from them):
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-speeds-up-west-bank-barrier-construction-following-court-injunction-1.304685
Lastly, it is all the Palestinian's fault for setting 'impossible' conditions - according to VPM Shalom:
"The Palestinians have set three impossible conditions: that the negotiations start from the point they left off at the end of 2008 when Ehud Olmert was prime minister, that they be based on a total Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 lines and that the freeze of [settlement] construction continue," Shalom was quoted as saying.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-palestinians-have-set-impossible-conditions-for-direct-peace-talks-1.304580
'Impossible' conditions - continue where the negotiations left off, base the negotiations on UN resolutions and the 1967 lines which give Israel 78% and Palestine 22% of the pre-48 Palestine, and stop stealing land on the 22%. Wow.
I would be fascinated to read whether the fanbois will even attempt to justify these bewildering actions and statements. I trust they won't resort to blaming the victims this time.
Cheers,
Shafique
