3 December 2012 Last updated at 10:49 ET
UK and France summon Israeli envoys in settlements row

Britain and France have both summoned Israeli ambassadors in protest at Israel's decision to approve the construction of 3,000 new homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The UK said the move would cast doubt on Israel's "stated commitment to achieving peace with the Palestinians".

Israel authorised the 3,000 additional housing units a day after the UN voted to upgrade Palestinian status.

An official close to the prime minister said Israel would not change its mind.

"Israel will continue to stand by its vital interests, even in the face of international pressure, and there will be no change in the decision that was made," an official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

Sweden has also summoned the Israeli ambassador, while Russia and Germany have expressed their opposition to the settlement plans.

The UN has warned the homes would be "an almost fatal blow" to peace hopes.

'Preliminary zoning'

In a statement, the UK Foreign Office said it was urging Israel to reconsider, and threatened a "strong reaction" if the homes went ahead.

It said: "We deplore the recent Israeli government decision to build 3,000 new housing units and unfreeze development in the E1 block. This threatens the viability of the two state solution."

Plans for construction in the E1 area - between Jerusalem and the West Bank settlement of Maaleh Adumim - are strongly opposed by Palestinians, who say such development will prevent the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier warned that the E1 plans would have to be rescinded.

"It would represent an almost fatal blow to remaining chances of securing a two-state solution," Mr Ban said.

An Israeli official has described the proposals in the E1 zone as "preliminary zoning and planning work".

The Israeli envoy to Paris was summoned to a meeting on Monday morning, French foreign ministry spokesman, Philippe Lalliot, said in a statement.

The BBC's Peter Biles says the UK is coordinating closely with France in sending a clear warning signal to Israel, but he says a suggestion in the Israeli press that Britain and France may recall their ambassadors in protest seems unlikely at this stage.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in Berlin: "Israel is undermining faith in its willingness to negotiate and the geographic space for a future Palestinian state, which must be the basis for a two-state solution, is disappearing."

The Russian foreign ministry website said the move would have "a most adverse impact" on peace.

Israel has condemned the Palestinians' diplomatic move at the UN as a "gross violation" of previous agreements with Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also brushed off criticism of the settlement plans.

"We will carry on building in Jerusalem and in all the places that are on the map of Israel's strategic interests," he said.

About 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

Two decades of on-off negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority have failed to produce a permanent settlement, with the latest round of direct negotiations breaking down in 2010.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20579248#

I'm VERY troubled/angry about this arrogant Israeli action ~ no way the timing is "coincidental" ~ this alone is a solid reason to oust Netanyahu ~

Sooz

You must be anti-semitic.

I've written fifty pages already. I am beyond outrage on this one. What do the rest of the members think?

Why would we plant on Israeli soil the very significant numerals 911? Will that be co-opted,too? Will "911" become the well known Israeli DOD identification and therefore pass into oblivion for the US.

Did we make some kind of a deal between the end-timers and the rapture hopefuls, and the Israelis? Why are we making plans to shortchange our own citizens while we spend money we don't even have to provide Israel with more security.

Seems to me, we could give every Palestinian remaining in Gaza a million bucks and let them relocate in Utah. The terrain would be familiar. They can redecorate the Mormon Tabernacle . Hell, they might even convert.

Then Israel wouldn't have to worry about the Palestinians. They'd only have the Syrians, the Iraqis, the Iranians, the Yemeni,, the Saudi, the Egyptians, and all of the other billions of Islamic populations. They've kind of worn down the Pals. Pretty soon there won't be any Pals left, and the last to go will certainly not be a pretty spectacle. We probably won't get to see that. We'll be fighting about whether Ms. Rice did something criminal, or maybe had a hand in Whitewater.

Whether I post this or don't, I'm sure I'm gonna get in trouble. But, so help me, I just cannot stand this involuntary servitude requirement. And I am tired of the sacrifices of time, money, lives, property, sympathy, and empty, deceptive, bullshit, lose-lose lack of cooperation.

I think that's where the GOP learned this. Just keep demanding and refuse to cooperate in any way until you get everything your way. And make your neighbors lives a living hell until they see no point in living anymore. That will tell the rest of the world what they can expect when their turn comes.





http://endthelie.com/2012/11/29/site-91 ... z2E6ukiyOw

http://www.eju.org/news/israel/us-build ... r-tel-aviv

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=293999

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-d ... l-1.481647

I really, truly, honestly despise our irresponsible government for this completely inconsiderate and stupid demonstration of "fealty." And I despise our news media even more for permitting the citizenry to remain ignorant of this needless sacrifice to an avaricious and ungrateful "best friend and ally.." Pffffffft.

It seems to me that Israel keeps poking the tiger in the cage. They are continually doing things to tick the Pals off. I think the US should stop all aid to Israel and the Gaza. Block all Israeli ports as they are doing to Gaza. Completely isolate BOTH countries until they are ready to sit down and get the job done. That's if we are going to do anything at all!

Spot on.

we don't need to do anything other than stop trading with them. the economic isolation that followed that move would change everything.

Won't happen. Obama hasn't the guts needed.

It's a biased question because there is presumption that Israel is engaging in irresponsible behavior.

It would be better to ask, "Is Israel engaging in irresponsible behavior?" and then letting that discussion take place.

Oskar, are you isolating yourself from others here with your irresponsible behavior of beating your wife?

Oskar, are you isolating yourself from others here with your irresponsible behavior of beating your wife?

Ah yes. When one is stuck one resorts to silly insinuations of a personal nature.
Doesn't make you look all that mature, does it, eh?
Try attacking the message instead of the messenger.

This should really make your day.

Israel and weapons of mass destruction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_and ... estruction

No, you are stating your opinion as fact as the starting premise that what she is doing is irresponsible. I disagree with your premise. I think Israel is justified in trying to protect herself so she is not engaging in irresponsible behavior.

The irresponsible behavior is that of the all Arabs and terrorists surrounding her that are trying to destroy her. If everyone would just leave Israel alone, then Israel would leave everyone else alone.

You might want to look up what a ? means.
I was taught that a ? indicates a question rather than a statement. Does USian punctuation deviate from established grammar rules?
Note: The preceding was also a question.

SciFi, I strongly support Israel's right to exist in peace ~ but I equally strongly disagree with Israel issuing thousands of new building permits on disputed lands ~ I see that as highly irresponsible and nothing more than an obvious and childish nose-thumbing reaction to the UN decision to allow Palestinians non-voting membership ~ I also view the heavily lopsided UN vote as an indication that many others see Israel's current far-right government as overplaying its hand ~ and in my view the "give me everything I want but don't expect anything in return" mindset cemented in ALL far-right ideologies is the real problem ~

Sooz

Sooz, if the American Indians rose up and said that they were swindled out of Manhattan Island, or the American Indians of Arizona and New Mexico rose up and said that their land was stolen from them, and they demanded that the United States stop building settlements there, would you support them?

I very well might do exactly that, SciFi ~ my long-time/only employer handled many Indian tribal claims pro bono ~ and the history of US acts against Indians are deeply shameful ~

I'm NO fan of Hamas, which I see as an enormous impediment to any peace process ~ but, for me, that alone does not give Israel the green light to do whatever its extreme far-right government wants to do "just because" ~

Sooz

The only reason Hamas or the Palestinians are getting support is because they are so vocal. Should loud voices get their way?

Should every group all over the world get their way just because they make some claim that some land is in dispute? Ireland, Scotland, the Americas. Gee, every parcel of land on Earth is disputed by some group or another.

Or should we only reward those groups which are very loud and blow up buildings and kill innocent people?

Or should we only reward those groups which are very loud and blow up buildings and kill innocent people?

You do exactly that by supporting Israel.
There's very little difference between Israel and Hamas other than the level of military strength.

I don't think I've heard a single utterance out of the leadership of Israel that isn't demanding someone give something up so they may have it. I don't think I have heard a single utterance out of any Israeli leader that pertains to their neighboring Muslim countries that is without a threat or an insult, a challenge or an accusation. Certain words and events seem to have become copyrighted or patented by the Israelis and no one else is entitled to use them. Terrorists and Genocide are words apparently only to be used by Israel and its allies.

When the Native Americans were put on the reservations, the Union Army did not find it necessary to continually attack and destroy the living quarters, families, food and animals the Native Americans needed. They did not routinely kill entire families, generations of families because some renegade Indian had shot up a saloon.

Comparing Native Americans and the US. Government with the Palestinians and the Israeli Government is apples and oranges.

The US Military were not attacking an unarmed foe who had developed homesteads and hospitals, schools and mosques. The Native Americans were reliant upon nature and could survive without help from the white man, so long as the Native American was free to move about the planet to obtain food and the elements of shelter.

You are not hearing any Palestinian voices loudly and clearly asking for help. You are hearing those outside of Palestine loudly and clearly asking for help AND being resoundingly IGNORED by our precious ersatz humanitarian goody two shoes. We have dozens of world wide agencies and watch groups and blah, blah that's supposed to see to it that genocide doesn't happen anywhere anymore. Unfortunately it seems that genocides are quite easy to pursue if you happen to be either very poor, or very politically powerful. The Palestinians have already enough experience with the indifference and injustices of the outside world to not bother to ask anyone to help them. I don't even know that I've ever heard a Palestinian speak on a tv new show. I've heard rescue workers and doctors, but most of them were foreigners.

Please chose a different analogy than the Native Americans and the Palestinians. You've used it twice and it is inappropriate both times. Apples and oranges.

Thanks.

Am I wrong in believing that Netanyahu's ultimate goal is to re-establish "Greater Israel"? That would be a pre-diaspora Israel. In Israel there are all sorts of factions, as there are here. There are religious fanatics, as there are here. Some of the religious fanatics believe God gave that dirt to them, and they are by God going to occupy it, and thus own it. Some of the religious fanatics over here believe the fanatics over there are right about the land, wrong about their religion, but will change their minds at the time of the Second Coming...or else.

I don't buy the Greater Israel idea. I don't approve of religious fanatics here or there.

I don't know how anyone can fell kindly toward the exiled Cubans (or their descendants) in Miami, and their intentions to reclaim their property in their homeland, but disparage the same impulses in the Palestinian people.