AP Photo - Israeli wall running through the West Bank
Israel once again demonstrated its lack of concern and disinterest in international sentiment, when on November 17th they announced their plans to move ahead with additional settlement building in the West Bank. The area of Gilo, which has been occupied since 1967 and annexed to its Jerusalem municipality, has now been slotted for nearly 1000 new homes.
Shortly after Barack Obama was sworn in as President, he called for a halt to settlement building in the West Bank. Israels decision was harshly criticized by the White House. In a official statement, the Obama administration said it was ”dismayed” at their decision to move ahead with more settlements and accused Israel of sabotaging Obama’s efforts to restart peace talks with Palestinians, which have been on hold since December.
“At a time when we are working to relaunch negotiations, these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed,” said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also denounced Israels decision, saying he “believes that such actions undermine efforts for peace and cast doubt on the viability of the two-state solution” for Israelis and Palestinians.
The United Kingdom also condemned the Israeli move stating that ”this decision on Gilo is wrong and we oppose it.”
Riyad al-Malki, the Palestinian Foreign Minister, said Israel’s decision was a further step “intended to prevent the Palestinian state from happening.”
I know for many the concept of settlement building is confusing, so allow me to try to simplify things. Imagine you live in a neighborhood that you, your father, and grandfather were all raised in and suddenly, buildings are torn down, you are ordered to leave your homes, walls and fences go up, new buildings are built, and new roads are paved. Afterward, new people move in and you are not allowed to enter the area, nor are you even allowed to use the streets and roads that pass through it. Now, to cross to the other side of your neighborhood, you have to travel all the way around the barriers, sometimes traveling three and four times the distance, and in doing so you must pass through a number of check points and security checks - both there are back.
Is there anyone out there who would simply accept this?
Another question many might ask is why are these settlements being built. There is one purpose – to stymie any attempt at establishing a sense of Palestinian identity or independence, to denigrate, frustrate and humiliate the domestic populace and to remind all concerned they are indeed under occupation. In other words, settlements are established to create conflict and to tear down any attempt at a two state solution.
Israel is making a very clear statement. It will do what it wants to do when it wants to do it, and what it wants to do is eliminate any chance of Palestine having a state of its own… no matter what the international community thinks.
From David Anthony Hohol…
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