Word: settlements
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With Judt’s piece in mind—and in light of Obama’s recent call for all settlement activity to freeze—the Israeli government’s June 29 announcement to build yet another 50 homes in a West Bank settlement north of Jerusalem (which, according to Ha’aretz, could likely grow into as many as 1,450) only serves to highlight just how contentious “the settlement issue” has become between Israel and its closest ally-cum-benefactor...
Almost, it seems, in response to the outrage in Obama’s America over continued settlement expansion—of which “Fictions on the Ground” is perhaps the most vehement condemnation—the Israeli government appears to be making some concessions. But, the problem is that Israel’s concessions on settlement expansion seem thus far to be little more than necessary measures to appease the United States. Like the obligatory discussions between rebellious child and frustrated parent, these actions satisfy for the moment, but ultimately just postpone the issue...
...White House agenda, as a result of Tehran's violent crackdown on its own citizens protesting claims of election fraud. The domestic political pressure on the Administration to take a tougher stand against Iran's regime may actually help Netanyahu resist pressure for a settlement freeze. After all, the President may find it difficult, in Washington, to muster pressure on Israel over settlements at a moment when he's being berated for speaking too softly on Tehran's crackdown. Members of Congress are now proposing new sanctions legislation and even demanding hearings on U.S. policy toward Tehran. And that...
Washington is insisting on the settlement freeze in line with the requirements of the 2003 road map for peace, and because the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem are the geographic basis of the Palestinian state envisaged in the two-state solution. As long as Israel continues settlement construction, Palestinians doubt its seriousness about agreeing to a viable Palestinian state. But Israel claims it has a right to keep building within the boundaries of its existing settlements to deal with what it calls "natural growth," and it expects to keep the occupied land on which most are built...
...idea of a Palestinian state, albeit with limited sovereignty, and he has signaled an intent to ease the Gaza blockade, remove some West Bank roadblocks, release some Palestinian prisoners and transfer more security responsibility in West Bank towns to Palestinian forces. But in publicly and repeatedly demanding a settlement freeze, even after Israel objected, Obama has made it not only a test of Netanyahu's bona fides as a peacemaker, but also of U.S. credibility. The President hasn't left himself much room for retreat; the question is whether Netanyahu plans to find a way to accommodate the President...