United Nations Security Council
Palestinian delegate to the UN, Riyad Mansour, sent a carefully timed letter to the UN security council on Monday ahead of a meeting in Washington tomorrow of the Quartet’s top representatives. The letter condemns Israel for systematically destroying prospects for a two-state solution through the sustained escalation of the campaign of illegal Jewish settlements.
AFP:
“The letters called on the international community, and particularly the Security Council, to condemn settlement activity — which is illegal — and other illegal Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territory,” Malki told AFP.
The message also called for “urgent measures to put pressure on the occupying power, which is Israel, to compel it to stop these actions and policies immediately,” he said.
The text of the letter warns that Israel’s “illegal and destructive plans not only inflames tensions but further underscores the dubious nature of the occupying power’s claims of readiness to negotiate a peace settlement.”
It said settlement activity was part of a campaign “being deliberately waged in an attempt to seize more Palestinian land and entrench (Israel’s) control over the Palestinian territory.”
“The goal of these messages at this time in particular is to keep the issue of settlements at the top of the priorities of the Security Council and General Assembly,” Maliki added.
The Washington Post reports Hillary Clinton, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are scheduled to attend to discuss the ‘the latest Mideast situation’ at Blair House on Wednesday April 11th. Foreign ministers of the eight major industrialized nations will also be in attendance. But considering current events, the latest Mideast situation is likely to include discussion of Syria, Iran and Turkey. Excuse me for imagining once again, Palestine will be moved to the back burner.
Can the Quartet do anything besides ‘urge’ the parties? What is the point of this ‘process’ if they will do nothing as Israel cuts off East Jerusalem and expands the settlements? Everyone knows there is no prospect for two states without East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. Haven’t we had this same conversation over and over? The only thing changing here is facts on the ground, as the Quartet and the UN Security Council do nothing.
In a press release from the Palestinian representative office of the UN, Mansour reported that on 4th April, the Israeli government submitted construction tenders of 1,121 new settlement units in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; 827 new units in the illegal settlement of “Har Homa” (Abu Ghneim) in southern Jerusalem, and 180 units in Giv’at Ze’ev settlement, north of Jerusalem. He also mentioned the head of the Jerusalem municipality’s issued statement on 2nd April about the plans to build new settlement units in Jerusalem.
Mansour, on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, called on the international society, especially the Security Council, to condemn the settlements and other illegal activities and policies occurring in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially Jerusalem. Mansour emphasized that it must take immediate procedures to put pressure on Israel to cease these actions and policies.
Perhaps the Quartet could view this video from last week to better comprehend the important security details carried out by Israeli military forces in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
Did a sheep kick one of the soldiers? A truly Gandhian sheep would not do it. As usually, the commentary is one sided. I think that IDF has to work more on the proper anti-sheep measures. They are quite expert with trees, but I understand that there are specialized units that handle trees. You cannot send two city boys and expect them to efficiently chase away sheep with no proper training or equipment. http://www.caneman2.com/sheperds.htm
How those people want to take on Iran is beyond my comprehension.
The Quartet has been captured by the Ziobots like the press has.
Anyway now they killed the Palestinian state. Well done Israel.
Now what ?
Have the Palestinians disappeared into history yet? Or will it be Israel that vanishes?
Now the peace process is finished with the ultimate victory of the Jewish people the Israeli government won’t need to waste any time on cynicism such as this monument to bad faith
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/FAQ/FAQ_Peace_process_with_Palestinians_Dec_2009#Settlements1
Actually sheep are little golden calf cross-dressers and since ‘we’ exchanged the metal for plastic [CC] ‘all’ shall be ‘encouraged’ to act as ‘one’ [but not ‘us’].
Speaking of Sheep…!