Israel settlements

[Colonello Buendia]

Israel confirms settlement plans
A candleabra used on the Jewish festival of hanuka in Har Homa
Israel recently put out a tender for new homes in Har Homa
Israel plans to build 740 new homes in settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, a minister said, despite its commitment to freeze all settlement activity.

Rafi Eitan, minister for Jerusalem affairs, said Israel had never promised to stop building within Jerusalem and had a duty to house its citizens.

It is budgeting to build 500 new homes in Har Homa and 240 in Maaleh Adumim.

A Palestinian spokesman condemned the plans, accusing Israel of seeking to destroy renewed peace talks.


Every day we hear a new settlement expansion plan - this cannot be tolerated
Saeb Erekat
Palestinian negotiator

The two sides agreed at a peace conference in Annapolis in the US in late November to revive the 2003 peace plan known as the roadmap.

According to the plan, Israel must halt all settlement activity and the Palestinians must rein in militants.

But soon after the conference, Israel announced a tender for 300 homes in Har Homa.

Click here to see map of Jerusalem

Israel annexed East Jerusalem after the 1967 Middle East War, a move not recognised internationally.

'Integral part'

News that the construction ministry was budgeting for 740 new settlement homes was reported by the Israeli settlement watchdog, Peace Now.

Israeli soldiers stand on a hillside opposite the Har Homa settlement
Har Homa stands on disputed land

The Israeli government has argued that the new homes in Har Homa are part of plans drawn up seven years ago, and that the area - known in Arabic as Abu Ghneim - was in any case not covered by the roadmap.

Thousands of people live in Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem which are expected to remain in Israeli hands under any final peace settlement.

Critics argue that the network of settlements will disrupt any future attempt to make East Jerusalem capital of a Palestinian state.

"Har Homa is an integral part of Jerusalem and Israel will not stop building there," Mr Eitan said on Israeli Army Radio on Sunday.

"It is Israel's duty to provide its citizens with a place to live."

Maaleh Adumim stands further out of the city but Mr Eitan insisted it was "an integral part of Jerusalem in any peace accord".

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Israel was undermining efforts to renew peacemaking.

"This is a totally destructive policy," he said.

"Every day we hear a new settlement expansion plan - this cannot be tolerated."

you thoguhts?

[Inanis]

ofcourse they have a duty to provide their citizens with a place to live..
BUT WHY IN JERUZALEM???

[Lenin II]

Ah, you beat me! I was about to post this article: http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastC...s/idUSL23374665 (http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSL23374665)

The terrorist state of Israel is seeking to increase the power of its iron fist of occupation under the guise of humanitarian housing for its citizens. This has been a common practice of the state since its creation, that is, using its people as weapons for occupation, building houses, universities, hospitals an schools in Palestinian's land and then claiming, "Well, we cannot move them! That would be unfair to the people!" Of course completely ignoring how unfair it is to the Palestinians. This has been their way of keeping control of over half the Gaza Strip and West Bank, which they still have the gall to call the "designated Palestinian territories."

Nice avatar by the way, Inanis. Is that from Assassin's Creed?

[Dros]

And the Palestinians have a duty to fight them off!

[Colonello Buendia]

true but the methods of Hamas are only increasing American support for the zionists who then go in and wreak havoc, and Lenin II, Inanis' avatar dose seem to be from assasins creed

[Inanis]

it is dedicated to Altaïr..
unofficial art though.

[Reuben]

Originally posted by Dr [email protected] 24, 2007 01:23 pm
true but the methods of Hamas are only increasing American support for the zionists who then go in and wreak havoc, and Lenin II, Inanis' avatar dose seem to be from assasins creed
America's support for israel doesnt depend on how peaceful or otherwise the palestinians are. Between the end of the first intifada and the beginning of the second 10 years later the palestinains were bending over backwards to respond peacefully to enormous injustice oppression and hardship and yet America approached the conflict as it does nwo. The idea tht if only the palestinians were little 'better behaved' they would somehow enjoy more support from imperialism is a complete fallacy.

[Lenin II]

Originally posted by Dr [email protected] 24, 2007 01:23 pm
true but the methods of Hamas are only increasing American support for the zionists who then go in and wreak havoc, and Lenin II, Inanis' avatar dose seem to be from assasins creed
So what shall they do? Go to their deaths peacefully and let the Israeli army bulldoze their homes? You know damn well that if you were a Palestinian with no clean running water or health care and no home, you'd pick that rifle up. The Israelis have apparently learned their lessons very well from the people who exterminated their ancestors in gas chambers. And U.S. support of their colonialism will continue unabated no matter what. Hamas is the only anti-imperialist force holding them together.

[Colonello Buendia]

I would pick up the nearest weapon and start fighting, I'm not against that but what I'm talking about is the fact that Hamas and Fatah etc. are calling for the eradication of Israel, I think that though Palestine should have their lands returned the Isrealis should be allowed to stay.

[Reuben]

Allowing Israelies to stay -which i fully support - is not irreconcialable with the destruction of Israel. The whole idea of israel is that of a jewish ethnic state in the middle east and as such it is entirely reasonable to call for its destruction - in the same way one might call for the destruction of the aprtheid south african states or other colonial political structures. Destroying israel - that is to say bringing about a situtation in which there is no jewish ethnic state in the area, in no way implies ethnically cleansing the region of jews.

[Holden Caulfield]

the jews are scared of the backlash they would suffer if those who they have opressed for so long are giving power or a share of power, in the same way that the Nazis and Russians fought so hard in WWII for fear of reprisals for the atrocities they inflicted,

Israel could easily give the Gaza Strip and West Bank a level of autonomy as they are small easily 'invaded' areas that could be policed by israel, however Israel fears the surge of the millions of refugees flooding back into israel and i think this is why a two state system isn't suited or plausable without violence and many deaths,