Israel approves large new settlement in the west bank

Akrasia

In what was nothing but a blatant land grab, Olmert has defended the policy on settlements.

"We have approved it. It is consistent with our policy of building within the large settlement blocs, which will remain in Israel in any final-status agreement," he added.

How much clearer can he make it. He's stealing land, he's colonising the west bank in 'large settlement blocs' (translation, FORTS) piece 'bye peace' (and all the pieces they'll also steal to ensure the forts have adequate secure transport links and access to water and other natural resources)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7286264.stm

Playboy

And people wonder why there is incidents like the one earlier in the week. :rolleyes:

bartholomewbinn

Playboy wrote: »

And people wonder why there is incidents like the one earlier in the week. :rolleyes:

And some Americans (whose tax payers are militarily and financially backing this murderous apartheid state) wonder why 9/11 happened. Their naivety is breathtaking in its stupidity.

Tea drinker

Akrasia wrote: »

In what was nothing but a blatant land grab, Olmert has defended the policy on settlements.



How much clearer can he make it. He's stealing land, he's colonising the west bank in 'large settlement blocs' (translation, FORTS) piece 'bye peace' (and all the pieces they'll also steal to ensure the forts have adequate secure transport links and access to water and other natural resources)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7286264.stm

Well, as usual, might is right.
They have powerful friends, so can ignore international law.

wes

Israel is committing suicide with these settlements. A 2 state solution where the large settlement blocks remain is impossible, all the Palestinians would have would be disconnected cantons and calling those a state is one hell of stretch. There is no way they could possibly except such a thing, nor would any other sane people.

As Olmert basically said himself not to long ago, if things keep going like they are, Israel will face a South African style apartheid struggle and if that happens there apartheid state is finished.

Rocker

Tea drinker wrote: »

Well, as usual, might is right.
They have powerful friends, so can ignore international law.

Everyone ignores International Law when it doesn't suit them and pretty much everyone gets away with it. However Israel are wrong to do this because it will hurt neogitions.

gurramok

So the land grab continues and they wonder why there is a conflict in the Holy Land :rolleyes:

The Saint

The US seems to be the only country with any leverage over Israeli policy. However, the EU accounts for around 30% of Israels exports. The EU should use this leverage to disuade settlement spending in the West Bank and East Jerusalem by the Israeli government. The EU should introduce tariffs on Israeli imports of the same amount that the Israeli government spends on settlements (around $500 million a year I think). These tariffs could be targetted to certain sectors that would not harm EU companies and that would have the greatest political impact.

This policy could be made retrospective to entail all settlements built in previous years. Obviously this would need to be done incrementally such as during the second year of tariffs the EU could add tariffs from the year before the tariffs started, eg.

2008- Spending in 2008
2009- Spending in 2007 + 2009
2010- Spending in 2006 + 2010...etc.

Monies gathered by the EU could then be kept in a trust. When Israel dismantles a settlement the EU should then return the equivilant amount of the settlement cost to Israel. This would punish Israel for settlement building and reward them to dismantling these settlements.

Also 62% of the Israelis support dismantling most of the settlements in the territories as part of a peace agreement with the Palestinians (2005). If Israelis see that their economic future, quality of life and employment prospects depends on their governments settlement policy then they are more likely to pressure their government to stop a policy most seem not to support anyway.


Edit:
Tariffs should also include amounts spent on Israels separation wall in areas that stray into the West Bank as well as infrastructure built for the settlements. Products produced in settlements should be denied entry into the EU, not just have higher tariffs on them as they currently do.

bartholomewbinn

The Saint wrote: »

The US seems to be the only country with any leverage over Israeli policy. However, the EU accounts for around 30% of Israels exports. The EU should use this leverage to disuade settlement spending in the West Bank and East Jerusalem by the Israeli government. The EU should introduce tariffs on Israeli imports of the same amount that the Israeli government spends on settlements (around $500 million a year I think). These tariffs could be targetted to certain sectors that would not harm EU companies and that would have the greatest political impact.

This policy could be made retrospective to entail all settlements built in previous years. Obviously this would need to be done incrementally such as during the second year of tariffs the EU could add tariffs from the year before the tariffs started, eg.

2008- Spending in 2008
2009- Spending in 2007 + 2009
2010- Spending in 2006 + 2010...etc.

Monies gathered by the EU could then be kept in a trust. When Israel dismantles a settlement the EU should then return the equivilant amount of the settlement cost to Israel. This would punish Israel for settlement building and reward them to dismantling these settlements.

Also 62% of the Israelis support dismantling most of the settlements in the territories as part of a peace agreement with the Palestinians (2005). If Israelis see that their economic future, quality of life and employment prospects depends on their governments settlement policy then they are more likely to pressure their government to stop a policy most seem not to support anyway.

I totally agree with you as regards sanctions against Israel. IMO the EU should have no dealings with them at all until they stop their policy of apartheid and genocide. But EU sanctions would only be a gesture. The US will make up any financial short fall. The only country that can control these murderers is the USA, and obviously they (the US) care nothing for the Palestinian people.

905

This isn't exactly a land-grab. They are building on land already 'settled'.

Government Spokesman Mark Regev said Givat Ze'ev construction "is consistent with our long-standing position that building within the large settlement blocs, which will stay a part of Israel in any final status agreement, will continue." Construction outside the settlement blocs has been frozen, he added.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1204546438842&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

That said, it's ridiculous to claim that this is just part of a pre-planned government strategy, nothing to do with recent shootings at all at all. And it's weakening Abbas' position, the poor bugger.