15 aug 2013
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Israelis and Palestinians Thursday to have "patience" with their peace talks so that they might have a chance to succeed, state-run Petra news agency reported.
After holding talks in Amman with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Ban stressed the UN's support for peace talks between the two sides, which resumed in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
He "called on the Israelis and the Palestinians to have patience and do all that they can for the success of their negotiations and achieve the needed progress with the help of the international community," the report said.
"Ban stressed that the United Nations supports and encourages the continuation of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, leading to a two-state solution," Petra added.
Negotiators met for around five hours on Wednesday in a new round of direct peace talks, which broke down nearly three years ago in a bitter row over Jewish settlements
The United States took the lead last month in securing an agreement to resume negotiations.
Ban also met with King Abdullah II and discussed the peace process and the Syrian refugees the kingdom is hosting, a palace statement said.
He "stressed that he is committed to working with the international community in order to increase aid to Jordan and help minimize the burden of dealing with the Syrian refugees and providing them with humanitarian assistance," the statement added.
Jordan, home to more than 500,000 Syrian refugees, has repeatedly called for aid, complaining that limited resources are hampering its ability to cope with them.
Ban is on a tour of Jordan, Israel and Palestine aimed at buttressing the peace process.
Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, welcomed the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, at his presidential headquarters in the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Abbas Welcomes UN Secretary General In Ramallah
The Palestine News & Info Agency (WAFA) has reported that that the two leaders discussed the latest developments in the newly resumed direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The two leaders held a press conference following their meeting; President Abbas said that the first round of direct talks, which started on Wednesday, discussed all final status issues, such as Jerusalem, borders, settlements, refugees, the detainees and security.
Prior to the meeting, the UN head visited the grave of late Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and placed roses on the grave.
Abbas added that he hopes all final status issues will be resolved in the set timeframe for the direct talks within six to nine months.
“It is too early to say that we achieved something, or did not achieve anything”, Abbas said, “We hope we will have some answers that in the coming days”.
The president further stated that the Palestinians went to direct talks with sincere and true intentions to achieve a just and comprehensive peace agreement, adding that he hopes Israel has the same intentions.
“Israel must understand that its settlements in occupied Palestine are illegitimate, and must stop all settlement construction and expansion activities; settlement are illegal, the International Community knows that, so do we”, Abbas said, “Israel should also release all of the Palestinian political prisoners, and should show positive intentions in the talks”.
On his part, Ki-moon stated that he came to the West Bank to reaffirm the legitimate Palestinian right of self-determination, and the right to establish the state that should have been established a very long time ago.
He welcomed the resumption of direct talks between Ramallah and Tel Aviv, and thanked the United States, especially Secretary of State, John Kerry, for his efforts.
The international official further called on both sides to refrain from activities that jeopardize peace talks, and expressed deep concern regarding Israel’s recent decision to build hundreds of units for Jewish settlers in occupied Jerusalem, and the occupied West Bank.
He added that settlement activities obstruct talks, and render the two-state solution impossible.
Ki-moon also welcomed the release of dozens of detainees from Israeli prisons, and added that he is concerned regarding the fate on 5000 Palestinian political prisoners still imprisoned by Israel, especially the detainees who are held without trial or charges, and holding extended hunger strikes.
He also stressed on the importance of Freedom of Movement to the Palestinians, and added that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip suffer from some of the grimmest humanitarian conditions due to Israel’s siege and violations.
He said that negotiations with Israel are not a replacement for national Palestinian reconciliation, adding that reconciliation is needed to that a real and lasting peace can be achieved.
Ki-moon added that the international community must not forget that there are 5 million Palestinian refugees, still suffering from harsh conditions in refugees camps in Palestine, and in various Arab countries, and added that the UN is doing whatever it can to alleviate their suffering.
After holding talks in Amman with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Ban stressed the UN's support for peace talks between the two sides, which resumed in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
He "called on the Israelis and the Palestinians to have patience and do all that they can for the success of their negotiations and achieve the needed progress with the help of the international community," the report said.
"Ban stressed that the United Nations supports and encourages the continuation of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, leading to a two-state solution," Petra added.
Negotiators met for around five hours on Wednesday in a new round of direct peace talks, which broke down nearly three years ago in a bitter row over Jewish settlements
The United States took the lead last month in securing an agreement to resume negotiations.
Ban also met with King Abdullah II and discussed the peace process and the Syrian refugees the kingdom is hosting, a palace statement said.
He "stressed that he is committed to working with the international community in order to increase aid to Jordan and help minimize the burden of dealing with the Syrian refugees and providing them with humanitarian assistance," the statement added.
Jordan, home to more than 500,000 Syrian refugees, has repeatedly called for aid, complaining that limited resources are hampering its ability to cope with them.
Ban is on a tour of Jordan, Israel and Palestine aimed at buttressing the peace process.
Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, welcomed the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, at his presidential headquarters in the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Abbas Welcomes UN Secretary General In Ramallah
The Palestine News & Info Agency (WAFA) has reported that that the two leaders discussed the latest developments in the newly resumed direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The two leaders held a press conference following their meeting; President Abbas said that the first round of direct talks, which started on Wednesday, discussed all final status issues, such as Jerusalem, borders, settlements, refugees, the detainees and security.
Prior to the meeting, the UN head visited the grave of late Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and placed roses on the grave.
Abbas added that he hopes all final status issues will be resolved in the set timeframe for the direct talks within six to nine months.
“It is too early to say that we achieved something, or did not achieve anything”, Abbas said, “We hope we will have some answers that in the coming days”.
The president further stated that the Palestinians went to direct talks with sincere and true intentions to achieve a just and comprehensive peace agreement, adding that he hopes Israel has the same intentions.
“Israel must understand that its settlements in occupied Palestine are illegitimate, and must stop all settlement construction and expansion activities; settlement are illegal, the International Community knows that, so do we”, Abbas said, “Israel should also release all of the Palestinian political prisoners, and should show positive intentions in the talks”.
On his part, Ki-moon stated that he came to the West Bank to reaffirm the legitimate Palestinian right of self-determination, and the right to establish the state that should have been established a very long time ago.
He welcomed the resumption of direct talks between Ramallah and Tel Aviv, and thanked the United States, especially Secretary of State, John Kerry, for his efforts.
The international official further called on both sides to refrain from activities that jeopardize peace talks, and expressed deep concern regarding Israel’s recent decision to build hundreds of units for Jewish settlers in occupied Jerusalem, and the occupied West Bank.
He added that settlement activities obstruct talks, and render the two-state solution impossible.
Ki-moon also welcomed the release of dozens of detainees from Israeli prisons, and added that he is concerned regarding the fate on 5000 Palestinian political prisoners still imprisoned by Israel, especially the detainees who are held without trial or charges, and holding extended hunger strikes.
He also stressed on the importance of Freedom of Movement to the Palestinians, and added that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip suffer from some of the grimmest humanitarian conditions due to Israel’s siege and violations.
He said that negotiations with Israel are not a replacement for national Palestinian reconciliation, adding that reconciliation is needed to that a real and lasting peace can be achieved.
Ki-moon added that the international community must not forget that there are 5 million Palestinian refugees, still suffering from harsh conditions in refugees camps in Palestine, and in various Arab countries, and added that the UN is doing whatever it can to alleviate their suffering.
Hamas movement condemned the resumption of negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupation, warning that the negotiations "would liquidate the Palestinian cause." Hamas said the renewed talks will have serious repercussions on the Palestinian people, rights and unity and will affect the future of the Palestinian issue.
Fawzi Barhoum, the movement's spokesman, stressed in a statement that his movement strongly rejects the continuation of negotiations, which serve only the interests of the occupation.
He called on all the Palestinian people and factions to confront this dangerous scheme.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian factions renewed rejection of the Authority and Abbas's decision to return to the negotiating table with the Israeli occupation.
This came in a joint statement issued by the factions at the end of a meeting held on Wednesday, in conjunction with the start of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
The forces urged the negotiating team to withdraw from the "futile" negotiations, and to start implementing the Palestinian reconciliation in order to end the division.
Fawzi Barhoum, the movement's spokesman, stressed in a statement that his movement strongly rejects the continuation of negotiations, which serve only the interests of the occupation.
He called on all the Palestinian people and factions to confront this dangerous scheme.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian factions renewed rejection of the Authority and Abbas's decision to return to the negotiating table with the Israeli occupation.
This came in a joint statement issued by the factions at the end of a meeting held on Wednesday, in conjunction with the start of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
The forces urged the negotiating team to withdraw from the "futile" negotiations, and to start implementing the Palestinian reconciliation in order to end the division.
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The Israeli regime and the Palestinian Authority have held a new round of talks amid a strict official news blackout.
On Wednesday, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators began talks in East al-Quds (Jerusalem). The Israeli side had previously announced that there would be no statements or pictures from the meeting. On July 29, the Israelis held direct talks with negotiators from the Palestinian Authority in Washington. |
Following the end of the two-day US-brokered talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the Palestinian Authority and Israelis would reopen negotiations “within the next two weeks.”
Last Palestinian-Israeli talks had broken down in September 2010 after Tel Aviv refused to freeze its settlement activities in the occupied West Bank.
On Tuesday, Tel Aviv announced that another 900 new settlements would be built in Gilo in East al-Quds in addition to 1,200 settler homes approved by Israel on Sunday.
The presence and continued expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine has created a major obstacle for the efforts to establish peace in the Middle East.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds in 1967.
The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967 and are hence subject to the Geneva Convention, which forbids construction on occupied lands.
Last Palestinian-Israeli talks had broken down in September 2010 after Tel Aviv refused to freeze its settlement activities in the occupied West Bank.
On Tuesday, Tel Aviv announced that another 900 new settlements would be built in Gilo in East al-Quds in addition to 1,200 settler homes approved by Israel on Sunday.
The presence and continued expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine has created a major obstacle for the efforts to establish peace in the Middle East.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds in 1967.
The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967 and are hence subject to the Geneva Convention, which forbids construction on occupied lands.
by Daoud Kuttab
When Palestinian negotiators enter the Jerusalem hotel designated for the face-to-face negotiations with their Israeli counterparts on Wednesday, they would complete falling into a well-planned negotiations trap.
Palestinians have committed themselves to participate in the talks for the next nine months, irrespective of what Israel does on the ground. The Israelis, who carefully laid this trap, have already reaped the benefits of knowing that no matter what they do Palestinians are highly unlikely to walk out of the talks. The Israeli Cabinet's announcement of hundreds of settlement tenders in Jerusalem and other West Bank areas proves that Israel has the upper hand in this process.
The setting up of this trap began when the Israelis realised that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was intent on obtaining the release of some 100 fedayeen that were the foot soldiers of the PLO over 20 years ago. At the time, these fighters received orders from PLO leaders like Yasser Arafat and Abbas and carried out military operations against Israelis. These soldiers, who were captured and sentenced, had been left to rot in Israeli jails while their leaders were free in Tunisia and were later given permission to return to Palestine and take over the Palestinian Authority. Arafat and the PLO had always asked for their release and in fact in 1999 as part of the Sharm El Sheikh agreement their release was agreed. But they were not freed when the second Intifada erupted in October 2000. When the current talks began, Abbas made the release of these pre-Oslo prisoners his personal crusade.
While Abbas was forced to accept verbal American promises that Israel will refrain from settlement activities and that the framework of the negotiations will be the 1967 borders, he insisted that Palestinians would not participate in the talks until he was assured that the old promise he made to the families of his foot soldiers would in fact be fulfilled. Realising that they had found Abbas' Achilles heel, the Israelis agreed, but only after stretching out the release of the 104 prisoners over the nine-month period. Instead of the prisoner release being a fulfilment of a 19-year-old Israeli commitment, or even simply a natural gesture for peace, they have now become Israel's powerful blackmailing tool for ensuring Palestinian participation in the peace talks. Assured that Palestinians will not walk out now and risk not having the prisoners released, the Israelis can now sit back, knowing they have nine-month reprieve from international censure for their continuous and internationally rejected 46-year occupation of Palestinian lands.
To add insult to injury, the Israelis — having secured Palestinian compliance in the peace process, even if no peace might emerge — now feel free to continue their expansionist policy. Just like a hostage held at gunpoint by a kidnapper, Abbas can't even consider walking out of talks due to Israeli belligerence and intransigence on the ground in the areas under its occupation. The most powerful negotiating asset that Palestinians had — namely the power to say no — has now been hijacked in order to secure the release of 100 prisoners.
The prisoner release, dubbed as a gesture to bolster Abbas' standing, was executed in such a manner as to turn off the most ardent Palestinian optimist. The names of the prisoners to be released in the first round were chosen solely by Israel and included some who had a few months left to serve. No well-known prisoner was in the first batch. The timing of the release also reflected bad faith. Even though the Israeli courts cleared the release by Tuesday afternoon, the actual release didn't take place till past midnight and after humiliating body searches of the prisoners and a final three-hour imprisonment in a bus with closed windows. Israel said it made sure that the windows could not open so that prisoners couldn't flash the victory sign when they were freed from jail. Israel also justified its midnight release by saying it didn't want Palestinians to celebrate. In fact, Israel simply didn't want its own people to see Palestinians celebrating the release of their heroes, who are considered terrorists by Israelis.
The Palestinian leaders' trap is of their own making. They gave priority to a humanitarian goal — the release of long-term prisoners — and the other side took advantage of this natural desire to further its expansionist goals. If this shows anything, it is that the main goal of the current negotiations is the appearance of a process and not peace.
When Palestinian negotiators enter the Jerusalem hotel designated for the face-to-face negotiations with their Israeli counterparts on Wednesday, they would complete falling into a well-planned negotiations trap.
Palestinians have committed themselves to participate in the talks for the next nine months, irrespective of what Israel does on the ground. The Israelis, who carefully laid this trap, have already reaped the benefits of knowing that no matter what they do Palestinians are highly unlikely to walk out of the talks. The Israeli Cabinet's announcement of hundreds of settlement tenders in Jerusalem and other West Bank areas proves that Israel has the upper hand in this process.
The setting up of this trap began when the Israelis realised that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was intent on obtaining the release of some 100 fedayeen that were the foot soldiers of the PLO over 20 years ago. At the time, these fighters received orders from PLO leaders like Yasser Arafat and Abbas and carried out military operations against Israelis. These soldiers, who were captured and sentenced, had been left to rot in Israeli jails while their leaders were free in Tunisia and were later given permission to return to Palestine and take over the Palestinian Authority. Arafat and the PLO had always asked for their release and in fact in 1999 as part of the Sharm El Sheikh agreement their release was agreed. But they were not freed when the second Intifada erupted in October 2000. When the current talks began, Abbas made the release of these pre-Oslo prisoners his personal crusade.
While Abbas was forced to accept verbal American promises that Israel will refrain from settlement activities and that the framework of the negotiations will be the 1967 borders, he insisted that Palestinians would not participate in the talks until he was assured that the old promise he made to the families of his foot soldiers would in fact be fulfilled. Realising that they had found Abbas' Achilles heel, the Israelis agreed, but only after stretching out the release of the 104 prisoners over the nine-month period. Instead of the prisoner release being a fulfilment of a 19-year-old Israeli commitment, or even simply a natural gesture for peace, they have now become Israel's powerful blackmailing tool for ensuring Palestinian participation in the peace talks. Assured that Palestinians will not walk out now and risk not having the prisoners released, the Israelis can now sit back, knowing they have nine-month reprieve from international censure for their continuous and internationally rejected 46-year occupation of Palestinian lands.
To add insult to injury, the Israelis — having secured Palestinian compliance in the peace process, even if no peace might emerge — now feel free to continue their expansionist policy. Just like a hostage held at gunpoint by a kidnapper, Abbas can't even consider walking out of talks due to Israeli belligerence and intransigence on the ground in the areas under its occupation. The most powerful negotiating asset that Palestinians had — namely the power to say no — has now been hijacked in order to secure the release of 100 prisoners.
The prisoner release, dubbed as a gesture to bolster Abbas' standing, was executed in such a manner as to turn off the most ardent Palestinian optimist. The names of the prisoners to be released in the first round were chosen solely by Israel and included some who had a few months left to serve. No well-known prisoner was in the first batch. The timing of the release also reflected bad faith. Even though the Israeli courts cleared the release by Tuesday afternoon, the actual release didn't take place till past midnight and after humiliating body searches of the prisoners and a final three-hour imprisonment in a bus with closed windows. Israel said it made sure that the windows could not open so that prisoners couldn't flash the victory sign when they were freed from jail. Israel also justified its midnight release by saying it didn't want Palestinians to celebrate. In fact, Israel simply didn't want its own people to see Palestinians celebrating the release of their heroes, who are considered terrorists by Israelis.
The Palestinian leaders' trap is of their own making. They gave priority to a humanitarian goal — the release of long-term prisoners — and the other side took advantage of this natural desire to further its expansionist goals. If this shows anything, it is that the main goal of the current negotiations is the appearance of a process and not peace.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met late on Wednesday evening to discuss developments in complete secrecy. The talks lasted for five hours, and ended at about midnight.
Further negotiations are scheduled to resume next week, and are to be held in the West Bank city of Jericho. The lack of media at all talks is meant to allow the teams to work together, towards a peaceful solution, without worrying about the media.
Palestine is being represented at the talks by chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat and senior negotiator Mohammed Shtayyeh. On the other team, Tzipi Livni and Yitzhak Molcho, confidantes of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, are representing Israel.
The peace negotiations come at a tense time. Earlier on Wednesday, 26 Palestinian prisoners who had been held in Israeli jails for decades were finally released. Many Israelis felt uneasy about this release of the prisoners. Some attempted to appeal the court’s decision, others protested it, and others still dehumanize the men based on false accounts of terrorism. Meanwhile many Palestinians and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hopes for the return of all their citizens who are being held in Israeli prisons. Others question the PA decision to agree to the resumption of peace talks without minimum agreements.
Simultaneously the international community questions Israel’s approval of 1,200 new settlement units and whether it is indicative of Israel’s lack of seriousness surrounding the negotiations. "The publishing of tenders for the marketing of 1,200 housing units in eastern Jerusalem and in the large settlement blocs at this time, is a double mistake," Israel's Finance Minister Yair Lapid said after the announcement by the Construction and Housing Ministry.
"In addition, the use of resources that are intended for housing for the middle class, in order to make an unnecessary gesture of defiance vis-a-vis the Americans and to throw a spanner in the works of the peace talks, is mistaken and does not help the process," Lapid said.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the continued building of settlements was “expected,” but that the US does not recognize the settlements as “legitimate” and that it would be better were these construction announcements not made. Kerry has urged the two parties to continue negotiations regardless.
The last round of negotiations were quit in 2010 over the building of settlements. At that time there about 311,000 Jewish settlers living in the West Bank. Now there are nearly 600,000 Israelis living beyond the 1967 Green Line, according to Israel’s Army Radio. That number includes Israelis in east Al-Quds.
Further negotiations are scheduled to resume next week, and are to be held in the West Bank city of Jericho. The lack of media at all talks is meant to allow the teams to work together, towards a peaceful solution, without worrying about the media.
Palestine is being represented at the talks by chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat and senior negotiator Mohammed Shtayyeh. On the other team, Tzipi Livni and Yitzhak Molcho, confidantes of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, are representing Israel.
The peace negotiations come at a tense time. Earlier on Wednesday, 26 Palestinian prisoners who had been held in Israeli jails for decades were finally released. Many Israelis felt uneasy about this release of the prisoners. Some attempted to appeal the court’s decision, others protested it, and others still dehumanize the men based on false accounts of terrorism. Meanwhile many Palestinians and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hopes for the return of all their citizens who are being held in Israeli prisons. Others question the PA decision to agree to the resumption of peace talks without minimum agreements.
Simultaneously the international community questions Israel’s approval of 1,200 new settlement units and whether it is indicative of Israel’s lack of seriousness surrounding the negotiations. "The publishing of tenders for the marketing of 1,200 housing units in eastern Jerusalem and in the large settlement blocs at this time, is a double mistake," Israel's Finance Minister Yair Lapid said after the announcement by the Construction and Housing Ministry.
"In addition, the use of resources that are intended for housing for the middle class, in order to make an unnecessary gesture of defiance vis-a-vis the Americans and to throw a spanner in the works of the peace talks, is mistaken and does not help the process," Lapid said.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the continued building of settlements was “expected,” but that the US does not recognize the settlements as “legitimate” and that it would be better were these construction announcements not made. Kerry has urged the two parties to continue negotiations regardless.
The last round of negotiations were quit in 2010 over the building of settlements. At that time there about 311,000 Jewish settlers living in the West Bank. Now there are nearly 600,000 Israelis living beyond the 1967 Green Line, according to Israel’s Army Radio. That number includes Israelis in east Al-Quds.
14 aug 2013
Bodies transferred
As part of the good will gestures to Palestinians in light of the resumption of peace talks, Israel has agreed to hand over to Palestinians the bodies of terrorists who were buried in Israel, Ynet learned Wednesday.
Last year, Israel transferred to the Palestinians 91 bodies of terrorists that were buried in a cemetery for enemy fatalities near the Jordanian bodies. At the time, 79 of the bodies were transferred to the West Bank and 12 to the Gaza Strip.
Among the bodies handed over at the time were those of the terrorist behind the 1993 Jerusalem terror attack. Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh confirmed the details and added that the coming transfer will most likely consist of dozens of bodies.
He added that Israel has agreed to transfer all the bodies in its possession to the Palestinian Authority and that the Palestinians were waiting until DNA tests to identify the bodies are concluded. Meanwhile, peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have resumed Wednesday in Jerusalem.
As part of the good will gestures to Palestinians in light of the resumption of peace talks, Israel has agreed to hand over to Palestinians the bodies of terrorists who were buried in Israel, Ynet learned Wednesday.
Last year, Israel transferred to the Palestinians 91 bodies of terrorists that were buried in a cemetery for enemy fatalities near the Jordanian bodies. At the time, 79 of the bodies were transferred to the West Bank and 12 to the Gaza Strip.
Among the bodies handed over at the time were those of the terrorist behind the 1993 Jerusalem terror attack. Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh confirmed the details and added that the coming transfer will most likely consist of dozens of bodies.
He added that Israel has agreed to transfer all the bodies in its possession to the Palestinian Authority and that the Palestinians were waiting until DNA tests to identify the bodies are concluded. Meanwhile, peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have resumed Wednesday in Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem Post Israeli newspaper reported Wednesday that Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel promised that Israel will continue to build over the Green Line.
"We will continue to build over the Green Line, even during the negotiations. Israel doesn't need any special reason to build," Ariel said during an interview with Israel's Army Radio.
Israeli government has recently announced its intention to publish tenders for 1,187 new settler homes over the pre-1967 lines.
The move, which is considered as a snub to America and the upcoming peace negotiations with the Palestinians, came a day before Tuesday night's controversial release of 26 Palestinian prisoners as the first phase of a larger prisoner release that will eventually total 104.
It's worth mentioning that renewed peace talks were set to begin later on Wednesday afternoon between Israel's Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
Ariel added in the interview, "There is no area where we will not build, and there is no area where will allow someone to dictate to us whether or not to build."
"We will continue to build over the Green Line, even during the negotiations. Israel doesn't need any special reason to build," Ariel said during an interview with Israel's Army Radio.
Israeli government has recently announced its intention to publish tenders for 1,187 new settler homes over the pre-1967 lines.
The move, which is considered as a snub to America and the upcoming peace negotiations with the Palestinians, came a day before Tuesday night's controversial release of 26 Palestinian prisoners as the first phase of a larger prisoner release that will eventually total 104.
It's worth mentioning that renewed peace talks were set to begin later on Wednesday afternoon between Israel's Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
Ariel added in the interview, "There is no area where we will not build, and there is no area where will allow someone to dictate to us whether or not to build."
Hamas has warned of the serious implications of the ongoing negotiations between the PA and the occupation fearing that such negotiations will culminate in a second Oslo accord in which the PA will recognize the occupation as Jewish state and the latter will recognize a Palestinian state with borders that will be agreed after complete normalization of relations with all Arab countries. Hamas published a report about the details of the serious outcomes of the two meeting held between U.S. envoy John Kerry and PA president Mahmoud Abbas during July in Amman.
According to the report, the resumption of talks will end the historical Palestinian-Israeli conflict in addition to normalizing the relations between the Arab league and the Israeli occupation in return of recognizing a Palestinian state within borders to be agreed upon.
The report pointed out that the Israeli-Palestinian talks will last between three to nine months without pre-conditions, noting that Jordan also participates in meetings relating to refugees, Jerusalem and borders issues.
The borders will be declared by the negotiating parties and based on land exchange plan between the PA and Israel, the report added, noting that settlement construction plans will be frozen except the large settlement schemes located in the vicinity of Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.
The intended agreement will provide the Israeli settlers in the frozen settlements with the Palestinian or Israeli citizenship or both together, while it will allow some Palestinian families in the West Bank and Gaza to reunite, others will be encouraged to immigrate to Arab countries, especially Gulf States and those countries will be “convinced” to issue them with citizenship.
According the agreement, east Jerusalem will be under international, Palestinian, Israeli, and Jordanian administration for ten years. Some prisoners who served more than 20 years in Israeli jails and do not pose a security threat will be released.
PA president Mahmoud Abbas will call for legislative and presidential elections in the West Bank just after the peace talks resumption.
The report pointed out that Abbas has sent on July 7 Dr. Nabil Shaath to Moscow secretly and urgently to inform the Russian leadership by the new agreement where he got a Russian preliminary approval.
Hamas has got these exclusive details from sources that have participated in the meetings between the Palestinian and Israeli parties and Kerry.
According to the report, the resumption of talks will end the historical Palestinian-Israeli conflict in addition to normalizing the relations between the Arab league and the Israeli occupation in return of recognizing a Palestinian state within borders to be agreed upon.
The report pointed out that the Israeli-Palestinian talks will last between three to nine months without pre-conditions, noting that Jordan also participates in meetings relating to refugees, Jerusalem and borders issues.
The borders will be declared by the negotiating parties and based on land exchange plan between the PA and Israel, the report added, noting that settlement construction plans will be frozen except the large settlement schemes located in the vicinity of Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.
The intended agreement will provide the Israeli settlers in the frozen settlements with the Palestinian or Israeli citizenship or both together, while it will allow some Palestinian families in the West Bank and Gaza to reunite, others will be encouraged to immigrate to Arab countries, especially Gulf States and those countries will be “convinced” to issue them with citizenship.
According the agreement, east Jerusalem will be under international, Palestinian, Israeli, and Jordanian administration for ten years. Some prisoners who served more than 20 years in Israeli jails and do not pose a security threat will be released.
PA president Mahmoud Abbas will call for legislative and presidential elections in the West Bank just after the peace talks resumption.
The report pointed out that Abbas has sent on July 7 Dr. Nabil Shaath to Moscow secretly and urgently to inform the Russian leadership by the new agreement where he got a Russian preliminary approval.
Hamas has got these exclusive details from sources that have participated in the meetings between the Palestinian and Israeli parties and Kerry.
Palestinian MPs and officials expressed support for the formation of a coalition of all national and Islamic factions on the Palestinian arena to stand against the negotiations with the occupation. MP for the Change and Reform Bloc Nasser Abdel Gawad told Quds Press on Tuesday that the formation of this coalition "could stop the deterioration experienced by the Palestinian cause these days."
He pointed out that a large number of factions, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), refuse the return to negotiations.
For his part, Saleh Zidan, member of the Political Bureau of Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, confirmed there are Palestinian efforts to form a national joint coalition to stop the negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupation.
Zidan considered that the formation of such a coalition will also push forward the national reconciliation in order to end the national division.
Informed Palestinian sources told Quds Press that discussions will be held in the coming days between different factions, political parties and leaders; particularly from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
The sources said that the National coalition, which is being created, agree on one idea; the opposition to the return to negotiations and considering that the Palestinian negotiators will not represent the Palestinian people.
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine stressed on its rejection of all forms of negotiation with the Israeli occupation, considering that the renewed negotiations aim to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
He pointed out that a large number of factions, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), refuse the return to negotiations.
For his part, Saleh Zidan, member of the Political Bureau of Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, confirmed there are Palestinian efforts to form a national joint coalition to stop the negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupation.
Zidan considered that the formation of such a coalition will also push forward the national reconciliation in order to end the national division.
Informed Palestinian sources told Quds Press that discussions will be held in the coming days between different factions, political parties and leaders; particularly from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
The sources said that the National coalition, which is being created, agree on one idea; the opposition to the return to negotiations and considering that the Palestinian negotiators will not represent the Palestinian people.
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine stressed on its rejection of all forms of negotiation with the Israeli occupation, considering that the renewed negotiations aim to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
Tadamun foundation for human rights said that the Israeli minister of economy Naftali Bennett indirectly called on Tuesday for killing the Palestinians rather than arresting and later releasing them. The foundation stated that Bennett, a noted right-wing Zionist figure, described on his facebook page the Palestinian prisoners to be released soon by the Israel side as murderers who should be killed.
According to the foundation, Bennett also called for stopping to name the Palestinian prisoners as detainees because as he claimed they were arrested for killing Israelis and not because of traffic violations.
He also said that the detention of the Palestinians are no longer a deterrent to them, so he pledged to work on having the Israeli army to reconsider its methods when dealing with what he described as the criminals.
Tadamun foundation considered such remarks by Bennett as indirect incitement to killing the Palestinians instead of detaining them, pointing that Bennett strongly opposes the idea of releasing Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to resume the peace process.
According to the foundation, Bennett also called for stopping to name the Palestinian prisoners as detainees because as he claimed they were arrested for killing Israelis and not because of traffic violations.
He also said that the detention of the Palestinians are no longer a deterrent to them, so he pledged to work on having the Israeli army to reconsider its methods when dealing with what he described as the criminals.
Tadamun foundation considered such remarks by Bennett as indirect incitement to killing the Palestinians instead of detaining them, pointing that Bennett strongly opposes the idea of releasing Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to resume the peace process.
The Regional Committee of the Israeli Interior Ministry has approved the construction of another 900 settlement units in Gilo settlement east Jerusalem. Top Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said that the PA is now mulling boycotting talks with Israelis due to resume on Wednesday.
A new round of the talks between Israelis and the Palestinian Authority is to resume in occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday amid Israeli plans to establish new settlement units in Palestinian territories occupied in 1967.
However, a Palestinian official said Abbas agreed to restart talks only after receiving a letter from Kerry guaranteeing that the basis of the negotiations will indeed be Israel’s pre-1967 borders.
The new construction plans of 900 housing units are in addition to the 1,200 settlement units approved on Sunday.
The plans for the construction of new settlements also received international condemnation.
A new round of the talks between Israelis and the Palestinian Authority is to resume in occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday amid Israeli plans to establish new settlement units in Palestinian territories occupied in 1967.
However, a Palestinian official said Abbas agreed to restart talks only after receiving a letter from Kerry guaranteeing that the basis of the negotiations will indeed be Israel’s pre-1967 borders.
The new construction plans of 900 housing units are in addition to the 1,200 settlement units approved on Sunday.
The plans for the construction of new settlements also received international condemnation.
Israeli housing minister Uri Ariel and head of the municipal council in occupied Jerusalem Nir Barkat laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new settlement outpost in Jabal Makbar neighborhood, east of the holy city. According to the Aqsa foundation for endowment and heritage, the new outpost will be composed of 63 housing units to be inhabited by ultraorthodox Jewish settlers.
The new plan will be carried out by the Zionist settler group Emunah, which had already built a parking lot for this outpost five years ago, but it did not finish the project as a result of the legal battle that took place between the Palestinian owners of the area, about 3000 square meters, and the group.
After the Palestinian owners lost their legal battle against Emunah, the Israeli government blessed and sponsored the plan.
Spokesman for the Israeli premier Mark Regev said that these housing units, whose construction was approved by the government, are located within the areas that would remain under Israel's sovereignty in any future peace treaty with the Palestinian authority.
The new plan will be carried out by the Zionist settler group Emunah, which had already built a parking lot for this outpost five years ago, but it did not finish the project as a result of the legal battle that took place between the Palestinian owners of the area, about 3000 square meters, and the group.
After the Palestinian owners lost their legal battle against Emunah, the Israeli government blessed and sponsored the plan.
Spokesman for the Israeli premier Mark Regev said that these housing units, whose construction was approved by the government, are located within the areas that would remain under Israel's sovereignty in any future peace treaty with the Palestinian authority.
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The Israeli regime says it plans to build “thousands” of settlement units in the occupied West Bank, in a thinly-veiled reaction to the recent remarks by US Secretary of State John Kerry that all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian lands are “illegitimate.”
“We will build thousands of homes in the coming year in Judaea-Samaria (West Bank). No one dictates where we can build,” said Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel on Wednesday. US Secretary of State Kerry said on Tuesday that all Israeli settlements on the occupied Palestinian territories are “illegitimate.” “Let me make it clear. The policy of the United States with respect to all settlements is that they are illegitimate,” he said. |
Earlier on Tuesday, the Tel Aviv regime approved the construction of another 942 settlement units in the occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
On Sunday, Israel announced plans to construct nearly 1,200 new illegal settlement units on the occupied Palestinian lands.
The move by the Israeli regime came as the Tel Aviv regime and the Palestinian Authority (PA) prepare to resume a new round of talks.
US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said last week that talks between the PA and the Israeli regime will resume on August 14 in al-Quds.
The representatives of Israel and the PA met last month in Washington. The meeting was the first direct negotiations in three years.
The last Palestinian-Israeli talks were halted in September 2010 after Tel Aviv refused to freeze its settlement activities in the West Bank.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds.
The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967 and are hence subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbids construction on occupied lands.
On Sunday, Israel announced plans to construct nearly 1,200 new illegal settlement units on the occupied Palestinian lands.
The move by the Israeli regime came as the Tel Aviv regime and the Palestinian Authority (PA) prepare to resume a new round of talks.
US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said last week that talks between the PA and the Israeli regime will resume on August 14 in al-Quds.
The representatives of Israel and the PA met last month in Washington. The meeting was the first direct negotiations in three years.
The last Palestinian-Israeli talks were halted in September 2010 after Tel Aviv refused to freeze its settlement activities in the West Bank.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds.
The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967 and are hence subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbids construction on occupied lands.
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Press TV has conducted an interview with Alan Hart, author, journalist and researcher from England about the issue of Israel approving the construction of more than 900 hundred new settler units in Jerusalem al-Quds just one day ahead of scheduled peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. |
Palestinian and Israeli officials will resume negotiations on Wednesday morning in Al-Quds, following the release of 26 long-term Palestinian prisoners, and amidst the construction of some 1,200 new apartments for settlers.
The location, time and initial agenda of the talks have not been made public, blocking the media from gathering any information about the negotiations’ progress.
Israel’s recent approval of 1,200 new apartments to be built for Jewish settlers in east Al-Quds and the West Bank has caused many Palestinians (and the international audience) to question the Israeli regime’s commitment to the negotiations.
The last round of negotiations were quit in 2010 over the building of settlements. At that time there about 311,000 Jewish settlers living in the West Bank. Now there are nearly 600,000 Israelis living beyond the 1967 Green Line, according to Israel’s Army Radio. That number includes Israelis in east Al-Quds.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the continued building of settlements was “expected,” but that the US does not recognize the settlements as “legitimate” and he has urged the two parties to continue negotiations regardless.
The location, time and initial agenda of the talks have not been made public, blocking the media from gathering any information about the negotiations’ progress.
Israel’s recent approval of 1,200 new apartments to be built for Jewish settlers in east Al-Quds and the West Bank has caused many Palestinians (and the international audience) to question the Israeli regime’s commitment to the negotiations.
The last round of negotiations were quit in 2010 over the building of settlements. At that time there about 311,000 Jewish settlers living in the West Bank. Now there are nearly 600,000 Israelis living beyond the 1967 Green Line, according to Israel’s Army Radio. That number includes Israelis in east Al-Quds.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the continued building of settlements was “expected,” but that the US does not recognize the settlements as “legitimate” and he has urged the two parties to continue negotiations regardless.
Official spokesperson Eduardo del Buey confirmed that United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, will travel this week to Jordan, Israel and Palestine to discuss the current situation in the Middle East and the progress in peace talks recently resumed.
In Amman, the head of the UN will talk with king Abdala II and the Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
After that he will go to Ramallah, where he will hold a meeting with Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas; and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, and visit the tomb of historical leader, Yasser Arafat.
Later on he will visit Jerusalem to speak with Israeli President and Prime Minister, Shimon Peres and Benjamin Netanyahu, and render tribute to deceased head of government Yitzak Rabin.
Ban Ki-moon will also meet the heads of the delegations of Israel and Palestine to discuss peace negotiations that were recently resumed in Washington.
The tour of Ban Ki-moon through the zone coincides with the announcement made by Israel of the construction of 1,200 new Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories which are considered illegal by the United Nations.
In Amman, the head of the UN will talk with king Abdala II and the Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
After that he will go to Ramallah, where he will hold a meeting with Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas; and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, and visit the tomb of historical leader, Yasser Arafat.
Later on he will visit Jerusalem to speak with Israeli President and Prime Minister, Shimon Peres and Benjamin Netanyahu, and render tribute to deceased head of government Yitzak Rabin.
Ban Ki-moon will also meet the heads of the delegations of Israel and Palestine to discuss peace negotiations that were recently resumed in Washington.
The tour of Ban Ki-moon through the zone coincides with the announcement made by Israel of the construction of 1,200 new Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories which are considered illegal by the United Nations.
By Nicola Nasser
The Israeli Jewish settlers of the Palestinian territory, which was occupied by Israel in 1967, are dictating unilaterally the demarcation of the borders with any future Palestinian state, thus rendering its creation impossible; holding the Israeli decision-making process hostage, they have become the real killers of peace, who brought the twenty –year old Palestinian – Israeli peace process to its current stalemate.
As early as the summer of 1995, the Iraqi born Israeli – British "new historian" Avi Shlaim wrote in the Journal of Palestine Studies: "The settlers now are the ones who determine Israel's internal political agenda."
Their numbers then were in the tens of thousands; now there are three quarters of a million settlers. The Head of the "Samaria Regional Council" of the Israeli illegal settlements in the Israeli – occupied Palestinian West Bank (WB) of River Jordan, Gershon Mesika, on this August 6 boasted there will be one million settlers there "in just three years time," telling "Arutz Sheva" online that "the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria (i.e. the Palestinian WB) has passed the point of no return."
Writing in the "National Interest" on September 6, 2012, the President of the U.S./Middle East Project, Henry Siegman, agreed that "Israel's colonial... settlement project has achieved its intended irreversibility, not only because of its breadth and depth but also because of the political clout of the settlers and their supporters within Israel."
When Benjamin Netanyahu assumed his second term as prime minister, with the settler Avigdor Lieberman as his foreign minister, the German Süddeutsche Zeitung, quoted by Spiegel on March 17, 2009, wrote: "He and Lieberman are the gravediggers of the Middle East peace process. They want to maintain the occupation and expand the settlements."
The electoral campaign of Netanyahu for his first term in 1995 was blamed by Israeli media for creating the right environment which led to the assassination of the "father' of the first Oslo accord for peace with Palestinians in 1993; ever since the "peace process" has been deadlocked.
The incumbent government of Netanyahu's third premiership is now described as the "settlers' government" or "a settler –friendly government," the survival of which is secured by a Knesset led by Speaker Yuli Edelstein, himself an illegal settler of the Neve Daniel colony in the WB, who called recently for the annexation of two thirds of the WB area.
This is a call that was also repeatedly voiced by the pro - settler Jewish Home party, a partner to Netanyahu's ruling coalition, which holds three key ministries, including the housing ministry, and controls the parliamentary finance committee. Netanyahu declared his backing for the Jewish Home's plan. Minister of Economy Naftali Bennett was the chairman of the council of the illegal settlements in the WB and Gaza Strip and is still an advocate of imposing Israeli sovereignty unilaterally on "Area C" in the WB. Uzi Landau, of Lieberman's Yisraeli Beiteinu party, has the tourism portfolio. Likud's ardent supporter of settlements, Moshe Yaalon, has the ministry of defense. Foreign minister's deputy, Zeev Elkin, is himself a settler. The education minister, Shai Piron, of Yair Lapid's so-called "centrist" Yesh Atid party, is a settler rabbi; Lapid himself who is the finance minister supports the "growth" of settlements even during peace talks and rejects any Palestinian sovereignty under any pact in eastern Jerusalem.
Deputy Minister of Defense, Danny Danon of Likud, was quoted by The Jewish Press on August 8 as saying that the "views" of Israel's chief negotiator, the Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, whose Hatnua party holds six seats only in the settler –dominated Knesset, "do not represent the majority of the current government." Livni's role in Netanyahu's "government of settlers" seems a cosmetic one intended only to circumvent the U.S. pressure for the resumption of the peace talks.
In Israel's proportional system, the voting settlers and the pro – settler political parties and groups have over the years accumulated enough political clout that is far – in – excess of their numbers to determine the internal balance of power, decide the electoral outcome and dictate their own agenda. They are holding the system hostage. So far they have become the real killers of peace.
On July 28, 2013, Barak Ravid wrote in Haaretz that Netanyahu "is acting so weak ... like a prisoner ... a hostage" of his pro –settler coalition partners.
During the interval between the first and the second rounds of the recently resumed negotiations, Israel approved a "new" settlement and 1700 settlement units in eastern Jerusalem; the government included 90 settlements in a new list of "national priority development areas" eligible for special benefits; the list included also the three formerly dubbed by the Israeli government as "illegal outposts," namely Bruchin, Rachelim and Sansana.
U.S. Lip Service
On August 11, 2013, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reacted by reiterating from Bogota, Colombia his country's "unchanged" position since 1967: The U.S. "views all of the settlements as illegitimate" and had "communicated that policy very clearly to Israel."
Ironically, "Israel's settlement project" has evolved "irreversible" nonetheless, mocking the U.S. repeatedly declared illegitimacy thereof as merely a lip service that has been all throughout a thinly veiled cover of the U.S. actual protection of the accelerating expansion ever since of "Israel's colonial" project.
No surprise then Kerry from Colombia "expected" what Peter Beinart described in the Daily Beast on August 12 as the "Opening of settlement floodgates" just two days ahead of the second round of the U.S. – sponsored Palestinian – Israeli negotiations, which were resumed in Washington D.C. on July 29, 2013.
Worse still, Kerry pragmatically defended the new "opening of settlement floodgates" as an incentive which "underscores the importance of getting to the table ... quickly," ignoring insensitively the Palestinian reaction.
On May 18 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Netanyahu must choose between settlements and peace. Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation organization (PLO), Yasser Abed Rabbo, and the PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erakat said they were considering not to participate in the second round of the talks, scheduled in Jerusalem on August 14. Member of the Executive Committee of the PLO, Hanan Ashrawi, condemned Israel's latest settlement plans as "confidence-destruction measures." Her co – member, Wasel Abu Yusuf, concluded that the PLO committed a "big mistake" by joining the Kerry – sponsored talks. Spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh said that Israel's latest plans "aim at obstructing the peace efforts."
However, the PLO is too weak to translate its words into deeds and challenge kerry's statement that the issue of settlements should not derail the resumed peace talks.
Israelis without Compass
Americans for Peace Now, in a report titled "Settlements & the Netanyahu Government: A Deliberate Policy of Undermining the Two-State Solution," said that in "its policies and actions" this government "disclose a clear intention to use settlements to systematically undermine and render impossible a realistic, viable two-state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict."
In a roundtable on the sidelines of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on September 22, 2011, former U.S. President Bill Clinton blamed the "Netanyahu administration" and what he called a "demographic shift in Israel," which was an indirect reference to the settlement project, for the failure of the peace process.
In "A Message from a Longstanding Zionist to the Israeli People," Robert K. Lifton, a former president of The American Jewish Congress, on this August 8 urged Israelis that they "must make clear the direction they want their country to pursue," "separate Israel from the Palestinians," and "avoid being ensnared in a bi – national state."
However, Lifton's appeal sounds like a cry in the settlers' wilderness. Israelis have yet to liberate themselves from being hostage to these killers of peace. Until then, Israelis will continue to navigate without compass, rejecting the one – state solution, the two – state solution, the bi – national state solution and every other proposed solution for peace, except their peace – killing colonial settlement project, which Henry Siegman, referred to by The Forward on October 5, 2012 as a "Jewish elder statesman," believes is "suicidal."
Most likely, the settlers are drawing on the fact that Israel itself is the product of a "colonial settlement project," which so far has proved successful; they are expectedly betting also on the "unbreakable" support of the other successful colonial settlement project that has become the United States of America.
* Nicola Nasser is a veteran Arab journalist based in Birzeit, West Bank of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
The Israeli Jewish settlers of the Palestinian territory, which was occupied by Israel in 1967, are dictating unilaterally the demarcation of the borders with any future Palestinian state, thus rendering its creation impossible; holding the Israeli decision-making process hostage, they have become the real killers of peace, who brought the twenty –year old Palestinian – Israeli peace process to its current stalemate.
As early as the summer of 1995, the Iraqi born Israeli – British "new historian" Avi Shlaim wrote in the Journal of Palestine Studies: "The settlers now are the ones who determine Israel's internal political agenda."
Their numbers then were in the tens of thousands; now there are three quarters of a million settlers. The Head of the "Samaria Regional Council" of the Israeli illegal settlements in the Israeli – occupied Palestinian West Bank (WB) of River Jordan, Gershon Mesika, on this August 6 boasted there will be one million settlers there "in just three years time," telling "Arutz Sheva" online that "the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria (i.e. the Palestinian WB) has passed the point of no return."
Writing in the "National Interest" on September 6, 2012, the President of the U.S./Middle East Project, Henry Siegman, agreed that "Israel's colonial... settlement project has achieved its intended irreversibility, not only because of its breadth and depth but also because of the political clout of the settlers and their supporters within Israel."
When Benjamin Netanyahu assumed his second term as prime minister, with the settler Avigdor Lieberman as his foreign minister, the German Süddeutsche Zeitung, quoted by Spiegel on March 17, 2009, wrote: "He and Lieberman are the gravediggers of the Middle East peace process. They want to maintain the occupation and expand the settlements."
The electoral campaign of Netanyahu for his first term in 1995 was blamed by Israeli media for creating the right environment which led to the assassination of the "father' of the first Oslo accord for peace with Palestinians in 1993; ever since the "peace process" has been deadlocked.
The incumbent government of Netanyahu's third premiership is now described as the "settlers' government" or "a settler –friendly government," the survival of which is secured by a Knesset led by Speaker Yuli Edelstein, himself an illegal settler of the Neve Daniel colony in the WB, who called recently for the annexation of two thirds of the WB area.
This is a call that was also repeatedly voiced by the pro - settler Jewish Home party, a partner to Netanyahu's ruling coalition, which holds three key ministries, including the housing ministry, and controls the parliamentary finance committee. Netanyahu declared his backing for the Jewish Home's plan. Minister of Economy Naftali Bennett was the chairman of the council of the illegal settlements in the WB and Gaza Strip and is still an advocate of imposing Israeli sovereignty unilaterally on "Area C" in the WB. Uzi Landau, of Lieberman's Yisraeli Beiteinu party, has the tourism portfolio. Likud's ardent supporter of settlements, Moshe Yaalon, has the ministry of defense. Foreign minister's deputy, Zeev Elkin, is himself a settler. The education minister, Shai Piron, of Yair Lapid's so-called "centrist" Yesh Atid party, is a settler rabbi; Lapid himself who is the finance minister supports the "growth" of settlements even during peace talks and rejects any Palestinian sovereignty under any pact in eastern Jerusalem.
Deputy Minister of Defense, Danny Danon of Likud, was quoted by The Jewish Press on August 8 as saying that the "views" of Israel's chief negotiator, the Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, whose Hatnua party holds six seats only in the settler –dominated Knesset, "do not represent the majority of the current government." Livni's role in Netanyahu's "government of settlers" seems a cosmetic one intended only to circumvent the U.S. pressure for the resumption of the peace talks.
In Israel's proportional system, the voting settlers and the pro – settler political parties and groups have over the years accumulated enough political clout that is far – in – excess of their numbers to determine the internal balance of power, decide the electoral outcome and dictate their own agenda. They are holding the system hostage. So far they have become the real killers of peace.
On July 28, 2013, Barak Ravid wrote in Haaretz that Netanyahu "is acting so weak ... like a prisoner ... a hostage" of his pro –settler coalition partners.
During the interval between the first and the second rounds of the recently resumed negotiations, Israel approved a "new" settlement and 1700 settlement units in eastern Jerusalem; the government included 90 settlements in a new list of "national priority development areas" eligible for special benefits; the list included also the three formerly dubbed by the Israeli government as "illegal outposts," namely Bruchin, Rachelim and Sansana.
U.S. Lip Service
On August 11, 2013, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reacted by reiterating from Bogota, Colombia his country's "unchanged" position since 1967: The U.S. "views all of the settlements as illegitimate" and had "communicated that policy very clearly to Israel."
Ironically, "Israel's settlement project" has evolved "irreversible" nonetheless, mocking the U.S. repeatedly declared illegitimacy thereof as merely a lip service that has been all throughout a thinly veiled cover of the U.S. actual protection of the accelerating expansion ever since of "Israel's colonial" project.
No surprise then Kerry from Colombia "expected" what Peter Beinart described in the Daily Beast on August 12 as the "Opening of settlement floodgates" just two days ahead of the second round of the U.S. – sponsored Palestinian – Israeli negotiations, which were resumed in Washington D.C. on July 29, 2013.
Worse still, Kerry pragmatically defended the new "opening of settlement floodgates" as an incentive which "underscores the importance of getting to the table ... quickly," ignoring insensitively the Palestinian reaction.
On May 18 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Netanyahu must choose between settlements and peace. Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation organization (PLO), Yasser Abed Rabbo, and the PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erakat said they were considering not to participate in the second round of the talks, scheduled in Jerusalem on August 14. Member of the Executive Committee of the PLO, Hanan Ashrawi, condemned Israel's latest settlement plans as "confidence-destruction measures." Her co – member, Wasel Abu Yusuf, concluded that the PLO committed a "big mistake" by joining the Kerry – sponsored talks. Spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh said that Israel's latest plans "aim at obstructing the peace efforts."
However, the PLO is too weak to translate its words into deeds and challenge kerry's statement that the issue of settlements should not derail the resumed peace talks.
Israelis without Compass
Americans for Peace Now, in a report titled "Settlements & the Netanyahu Government: A Deliberate Policy of Undermining the Two-State Solution," said that in "its policies and actions" this government "disclose a clear intention to use settlements to systematically undermine and render impossible a realistic, viable two-state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict."
In a roundtable on the sidelines of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on September 22, 2011, former U.S. President Bill Clinton blamed the "Netanyahu administration" and what he called a "demographic shift in Israel," which was an indirect reference to the settlement project, for the failure of the peace process.
In "A Message from a Longstanding Zionist to the Israeli People," Robert K. Lifton, a former president of The American Jewish Congress, on this August 8 urged Israelis that they "must make clear the direction they want their country to pursue," "separate Israel from the Palestinians," and "avoid being ensnared in a bi – national state."
However, Lifton's appeal sounds like a cry in the settlers' wilderness. Israelis have yet to liberate themselves from being hostage to these killers of peace. Until then, Israelis will continue to navigate without compass, rejecting the one – state solution, the two – state solution, the bi – national state solution and every other proposed solution for peace, except their peace – killing colonial settlement project, which Henry Siegman, referred to by The Forward on October 5, 2012 as a "Jewish elder statesman," believes is "suicidal."
Most likely, the settlers are drawing on the fact that Israel itself is the product of a "colonial settlement project," which so far has proved successful; they are expectedly betting also on the "unbreakable" support of the other successful colonial settlement project that has become the United States of America.
* Nicola Nasser is a veteran Arab journalist based in Birzeit, West Bank of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
