Israel is pressing ahead with its plans to colonize more of the land between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, a settlement that cordons off Jerusalem from the Palestinians. The Givat Hamatos project destroys the two-state solution--even in the eyes of ardent supporters.
Turkey has "strongly condemned" the plans for making the occupation permanent. Britain is "dismayed" by the plan. The EU says flatly that the new settlement is "unacceptable." France has condemned the Israeli decision:
France condemns the unacceptable decision taken by Jerusalem city hall to create a new settlement at Givat-Hamatos in East Jerusalem. She points out again that colonisation, whether in the West Bank or in East Jerusalem is illegal under the terms of international law.
And the U.S.? The State Department has failed to address the settlement in the last week. But here is spokesperson Victoria Nuland at her press briefing of ten days ago. She will only talk about the matter hypothetically:
QUESTION: Yes. Victoria, could you comment on a report by the Israeli press that the Netanyahu government is gearing up to announce a massive, massive settlement construction on the eve of the Quartet meeting if it ever takes place?
MS. NULAND: We are aware of these reports, plans for the construction of additional housing in East Jerusalem. You’re talking about the housing in Givat Hamatos, right?
QUESTION: Right.
MS. NULAND: Our position on this would not change from what we have said in the past, which is that we believe such actions would be counterproductive to our efforts to resume direct talks between the parties.
QUESTION: Do you think such announcement of such plans is actually intended to sort of sabotage any likelihood for a Quartet meeting?
MS. NULAND: I’m not going to speak to that one way or the other. The Israelis have said that they are ready to come to such a meeting, and we take them at their word.
QUESTION: So forgive me. This has not yet happened --
MS. NULAND: Correct.
QUESTION: -- this announcement, right?
MS. NULAND: Correct, right.
QUESTION: So it’s a hypothetical question at the moment?
MS. NULAND: Correct.... This construction, were it to happen, would be within the frame of our policy concern about construction of this type. So it’s not –
QUESTION: All right. Well, would –
MS. NULAND: Our policy isn’t hypothetical on this issue.
this is a perfect example of what eee is referencing here:
“Only the US has the ability to make Israelis take security risks for peace.“.
Exactly Annie. The Europeans have condemned the Israeli action. So? How is that going to help? That is why Israelis only trust the US to guarantee a deal. It is the only country that can do things rather than just talk. It is the only power that has extensive forces in the middle east and the only power that can project force.
The only conceivable way a peace agreement could be achieved is through the application of massive pressure and force by the United States and its European allies on both Israelis and Palestinians. But the Israel lobby possesses enough financial leverage over the American political system to prevent that pressure from being applied.
Bottom line: there is never going to be a peace agreement: only much greater violence and more wars probably ending in mass population transfers and genocide. It’s easy to see how this script is going to unfold.
Why USA? As you say, its hands are tied. [USA is one of the "bovi"] But surely, if Turkey and EU and maybe Brazil, India, China took some kind of real action (either a series of un-coordinated economic sanctions or a UNGA-coordinated ditto), Israel would take notice. Say a few canceled contracts with weapons makers, closing of embassies and cutting of commercial airline connections.
But talk is never enough with Israel. Israel does not “hear” “signals” (does any country?) Concrete action and perhaps a great deal of it is required.
Forget the EU. They are at best playing to their domestic audiences who are sick of the ‘peace process’ when they voice various degrees of disappointment or frustration at settlement expansion and Israeli intransigence. Then they can say: we tried, but what can we do? It’s the Americans who are stalling the peace process.
The only reason Obama absurdly vetoed his own (and longstanding US) policy on the settlement at the UNSC I can see is that the official policy is just a smokescreen, that the US wants and always has wanted a viable, secure and stable Greater Israel, including aquifers. There is no other explanation for this diplomatic circus. What if he had not vetoed the resolution? Would the sky have fallen? Sure, uproar in the Lobby. But it could and probably would have worked against the Lobby. A gamble. Now he can say: my hands were tied, it’s the Lobby – and cash in on campaign donations.
Yup, and US in boat, no deal ever. Thats why Israel trusts US.
Project force ? Did someone say that peace cant be forced ? Yes, no ? When was last time that US “projected some force” towards to Israel ? Around 1956 ? When US still had some President who had some balls, and didnt take orders from AIPAC/Knesset.
What a tragedy that it doesn’t use its force for good, for justice for all, instead of being beholden to a tiny but powerful minority of zealot, fundamentalist crackpots who prefer war and destruction to preserve their malignant power in the Middle East.
instead of being beholden to a tiny but powerful minority of zealot, fundamentalist crackpots who prefer war and destruction to preserve their malignant power in the Middle East.
yeah, that pretty much represent my ptv
What are you suggesting eee? That the US impose a settlement on Israel by using it’s military?
Have you been asleep for a decade or did you not notice that the US has just been kicked out of Iraq and is losing in Afghanistan?
eee: “That is why Israelis only trust the US to guarantee a deal.”
My goodness eee, what happened to the Israel that could stand on its own two feet?
More to the point, what happened to all that talk from eee decrying us for commiting genocide against Native Americans and engaging in torture? Oh, did he think we forgot about all that?
Remember South Africa, eee.
Even Martin Indyk now admits that is not the case and that this belief was baseless.
The British condemnation is about as harsh as that of the US. Netanyahu must be running scared.
I very much doubt Netanyahu is running scared. He’s busy emptying his prisons, scoring points at home and abroad, and making room for new prisoners. I bet he can’t wait for another intifada. For him that just means fewer Palestinians alive or in an open air prison
A Jewish family took over another Palestinian home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Talibiyeh this week.
Barack Obama is scared to death that any condemnation of the settlements will trigger yet another barrage of attacks and abuse against himself from both Republicans AND Democrats. He doesn’t have the backbone to stand up against all the pressure. He has been easily intimidated into silence on or outright complicity with the illegal activities of the most extreme right-wing regime in Israeli history.
Jimmy Carter, Zbigniew Brzezinski, George H.W. Bush and James Baker were the last major figures in the American government to stand up against Likud Zionists in the Israeli government and the Israel lobby.
No offense ,but I think you are a little delusional about a role of Zbigniew Brzezinski in a worldy Game of Chess.
For me, this guy is a pure Evil, straight from the hottest pits of hell.
The following is not a joke, nor is it sarcasm.
The group that took over the Palestinian home in East Jerusalem is actually part of the tent protestors movement.
Apparently, for those protesting social and economic injustice, one way to resolve the problem of high rent is to take over the homes of Palestinians.
“Quod licet Lovi, non licet bovi”".
What is legitimate for Lovi (Jupiter), is not legitimate for oxen”,
or in other words , “Gods may do, what cattle may not”.
“I’m the Law. I’m God”.
Forgive me if you’re making a pun that I didn’t get, but otherwise allow the Latin scholar in me to nitpick: it’s “Quod licet Iovi (also spelled “Jovi“). “I/Jovi” is the irregular dative of “I/Jupiter”.
Thank you:)
I had a Latin in my HS for straight 4 years, but…..
It was many, many years ago, and at that time ,we considered it the biggest punishment of all.
Latin is a beautiful language ,but its grammar is a killer :).
Though, I still love their wise, ( and even remember some), proverbs.
Vah! Denuone Latine loquebar? Me ineptum. Interdum modo elabitur…..!!!
You’ve been diagnosing the death of the two-state approach for 3 years.
It ain’t dead yet. It is stressed certainly, and more than certainly the location of the first new authorization of a new settlement (rather than building within a settlement boundary, as intrusive as that is), is significant escalation.
But, it still isn’t dead yet. So long as the populations desire to self-govern rather than to be governed by a cosmopolitan state or universally by a Zionist or Palestinian nationalist state, the two-state approach remains the most relevant, the only relevant.
The important consideration is what kind of state will Palestine be? Viable or strained to the point of non-viability? Healthy or stressed? Accepting or desparate?
This is quite the escalation, it is a big FU to the Abbas/Fayed government following their decline to come back to the negotiating table. I denounce this whole-heartedly.
Gee, yeah, thanks Hillary Clinton.
Pleads hit the hell up Witty . The parrot was dead a decade ago. Even Fayad is now openly discussing a single state.
No amount of obfuscations cation and incoherent diatribes about “self governance” (ie. enslavement if Palestinians) is going to change that.
Get real and get a life.
RW: “It ain’t dead yet. It is stressed certainly,…”
Is it just me, or does anyone else sense an increasingly surreal, indeed Pythonesque quality to Richard’s writing these days?
Richard is nailed to his perch.
Every time Witty insists the 2ss is not dead, remember this. say hello to Witty behind the counter.
link to youtube.com
Witty is just pining for the fjords.
Thanks for the link Shingo, though I now see you had already noticed that Witty is the new pet shop proprietor.
What if they held a press briefing and no one came?
The reporters should quit wasting their time and tell State to fax them the f***** form letter instead……or shove it ____ ____ ____.
17 or 397 more countries merely TALKING condemnation are no less than the same GREEN LIGHT that the USA flashes when it says “counterproductive”. (“bovi”). [Israel, riding on the USA's shoulders: "Iovi"] ["licit": what you can get away with.]
There must be a UNSC resolution to stop the building and roll-back the building of settlements, etc. That (short of war) is an ACTION which goes beyond the sending of permission (praising by faint damns) that the 17 or 207 states have been sending.
And, of course, after 20 years, they know it perfectly well. And are too timid to do it. Or do not give a damn. Almost the same thing.
licit”: what you can get away with.]
Pablemont, I think that this is the lesson that Israel learned from the Nazis. Don’t take too much at a time and keep taking ad infinitum. the Germans took too much too quickly.
There are a number of processes building up to a crescendo. Will it be the settlers or the Israeli poor or the Orthodox or BDS or diplomatic isolation or Iran or Palestinian non violence or something economic that is the catalyst?
and let’s see what happens when Greece defaults.
SEAFOID- “and let’s see what happens when Greece defaults.”
Yes, indeed. We live in interesting times, we live in scary times.
I’m from Europe ,so I follow ,a little ,on what is going on there.
The situation is ,all around, very bad.
I’m catholic, so I also follow,a little, on what is going on in the Church. The situation there is very bad as well.
October 24, 2011 – ROME – The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in dealing fairly with crises.”
Very creepy, creepy news.
DUMVI- “The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions….”
That is pretty much what the financial elites want- a centralized financial authority to use its financial power to rule over us all. What really needs to be done is to roll back globalization as much as possible as fast as possible. We need to emphasize local autonomy and reduce corporate/financial controlled trade dependency. Think globally, act locally. Remember, our global interdependencies have been intentionally created as a means to facilitate global financial control.
no way, Keith, that’s not what the Vatican wants. Looks to me like they’ve been advocating sharia since the financial crisis. Imagine that. Financial ecumenism, the Pope calling for Islamic banking, what a radical idea. Might be anti-semitic? Again, you should read Marx ‘On the Jewish Question’ (the passage on hucksterism). All makes sense to me
link to bloomberg.com
one government, one currency, one religion.
“All we need is a right major crisis and the nations will accept a new world order. ”
Vatican, since the II Vatican Council , has been pushing for so called Ecumenism (one world’s religion ). Now they promote the idea of one world bank (currency). Lovely.
Wolfs hidden in a skin of a sheep. Majority of the Church leadership is marching straight into the pits of hell. I ain’t condemning anybody, not my job, it is just stating of the facts . Catholics ,all over the world, are very divided over this. Some see what is going on, some have some idea ,but refuse to admit it ,and some blindly believe their “leaders”, no questions asked. I’m in the first group ,and it does not make me happy. At all.
But…who said that life is an easy task?
I don’t see why everything concerning the Vatican has to be turned into some Illuminati conspiracy theory? Church leadership is marching ‘straight into the pits of hell’ by advocating an arguably more ethical form of banking?
Marlowe: Dr. Faustus (period: early Capitalism)
FAUSTUS. Where are you damn’d?
MEPHIST. In hell.
FAUSTUS. How comes it, then, that thou art out of hell?
MEPHIST. Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it
“More ethical form of banking”?? Dind, ding.
“Central world bank “, “global public authority”. It does not ring your bell?? It rings mine, very loud.
I’m catholic, and this is “My Church” but trust me , some of the stuff that I discovered makes me wonder. Very much so.
First, I always try to look at the things the way they are, not the way I would like them to be ,or I think they shoud be . Some call it realism. Granted, this leaves me with more questions than answers ,and on top of it ,I KNOW that majority of those questions will never be answered.
I guess the pursuit of Truth is never easy. It leaves you wounded and oftentimes frustrated, but once you start doing this ,there is no way back. Of course assuming that you don’t want to delude yourself and live in a self-made La-La Land.
Well, I’m neither Catholic, Protestant, Muslim or Jewish or any other religion. This Catholic says that the Pope/Catholic Church has by no means called for a ‘Central World Bank’. You can follow the links in the article in pursuit of the truth:
link to blog.chron.com
And you should look into the principles of Islamic banking and finance, esp. wrt to profit/loss sharing vs the Western interest-based system
ANTIDOTE- “no way, Keith, that’s not what the Vatican wants.”
What exactly did I say? “That is pretty much what the financial elites want- a centralized financial authority to use its financial power to rule over us all.” I was noting that what dumvitaestspeset claimed was similar to what the global financial elites are pushing for. As for the Vatican, I make no claims.
As for Sharia law and interest-is-sin ideology, be careful what you wish for. Unintended consequences can be a bummer. The idea of interest as usury is not new, the church having that position for a long time. One consequence was that lenders engaged in charade to circumvent the prohibition, charging late penalties instead of interest on the understanding that the loan would be repaid sufficiently late to require a penalty equivalent to the desired interest. Another consequence was to assign money lending to Jews who had no prohibition against charging Gentiles interest. Jews “forced” to take possession of the goose that lays golden eggs. Funny, in all the tales of Jewish suffering, they never mention being forced to care for the golden goose. Go figure.
But what about nowadays? Current short term interest rates are close to zero and how has that worked out? Well, for starters, I’m receiving negligible interest on my Treasuries, G*d d*mn it. Additionally, the fat cats are awash in practically free money which is being used for speculation and for driving various markets up or down. My whole point being that the financial system has been intentionally made complex and that reforms need to be well thought out by many people, the solution subject to democratic accountability. In this regard, a certain humility is necessary, hubris possibly fatal. As for Karl Marx, I am not overly concerned with what he said 150 years ago.
This guy is wrong. I do not have time right, now but trust me ,I’m not saying ,what I’m saying lightly. I did read and read lot on the subject from different sources. It is a pretty complicated issue to explain to somebody,who does not too much about catholic religion, ( a lot of catholics do not get it as well, so do not worry).
The statement that was issued few days ago is just a cherry on the cake that was baked for many, long years. Or another puzzle that fits the picture. Not a nice and holy one. Far from that.
A lot of “very strange” things take place in a modern church, which is already divided inside.
If you are interested , read something about sedevacantists, Societyof St . Pius X, blog traditioninaction.com, mostholyfamilymonastery.com. A lot of interesting info. Disturbing though.
Keith – “What did I say?”
you said, in reply to DUMVI- “The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions….” that “That is pretty much what the financial elites want- a centralized financial authority to use its financial power to rule over us all”, and I objected.
It’s too bad you dismiss Marx because he lived 150 yrs ago. There’s plenty of good stuff out there that’s even older. What is it with people, and especially Americans, that they think history has nothing to teach us, or that newer is better?
As for your (amd my) concern about the “fat cats”, Islamic banking, which is actually a fairly recent phenomenon, does have significant safeguards against the creation of oligarchies, a phenomenon from which the Islamic world has suffered for a long time, be it created domestically or imposed from abroad.
link to guardian.co.uk
link to guardian.co.uk
RE: “World condemns Israel’s Jerusalem landgrab, while US says it is ‘within the frame of our policy concern’” ~ Weiss
TRANSLATION: We’re in campaign mode until 2013, and we can’t take a chance on alienating any of our major donors to the the DNC and/or the Obama reelection campaign.
EXCERPTS FROM THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE ON (ISRAELI-AMERICAN) HAIM SABAN BEFORE IT WAS RECENTLY “SANITIZED” (now at the fullwiki.com):
SOURCE – link to thefullwiki.org
P.S. FROM WIKIPEDIA: “…Saban contributed between $5 million to $10 million to the William J. Clinton Foundation.[19]…”
P.P.S. ALSO SEE: Saban family tried to give Emanuel over 1/2 a million – link to mondoweiss.net