The New York Times tries to convince its readers that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has changed his views and now believes in a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Seriously, are these articles written by the Israeli Foreign Ministry? One curious mention, however, is this: The [settlement] freeze was less than what was demanded by…
Showing all posts tagged settlements
Israeli blogger calls the occupation his country’s defining feature
Israel’s stellar blog Promised Land on the 22nd anniversary of the first Palestinian intifada: Our national project is the occupation. We would like you to think it’s the high-tech industry (the current day’s version of the oranges Israel used to grow) but one can’t compare the investment – both governmental and private – in high-tech…
What Israel has created: shock troops in the name of Jewish jihad
The reality of lawless settlers in the West Bank is reaching fever pitch. These aren’t some rogue, Jewish elements. They are individuals and groups backed and funded by the state for years. And now they’re not behaving as planned. What a shock. The latest readings are here, here and here.
Will the real occupying Israel please stand up?
The essential Gideon Levy in Haaretz wishes Israel would finally come out of the closet and admit what it really is: Tomorrow will mark six months since the prime minister’s foreign policy speech at Bar-Ilan University. It’s now time for another historic speech. In the near future, the prime minister needs to convene the right…
A call to arms from a leading West Bank colonist
Pro-settler leader and Women in Green head Nadia Matar: There is nothing more sublime and holier than a national war.
Israeli fascism is not accepted by all
The two sides of the Israel/Palestine divide. On the one hand, a minority of Israelis and Arabs are profoundly disturbed with the country’s decline: International Human Rights Day was marked in Israel for the first time on Friday when thousands of people participated in a human rights march that began in Rabin square in Tel…
Only one Zionist view is acceptable, says Israeli spokesman
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, on Israel lobby group J Street: …A unique problem in that it not only opposes one policy of one Israeli government, it opposes all policies of all Israeli governments. It’s significantly out of the mainstream…This is not a matter of settlements here [or] there. We understand there…
Jewish settlements are becoming Israel’s serious problem
Two pieces of news this week that signal growing global outrage over Israel’s colonisation program. First, in Germany: Twenty-four former German ambassadors urged the German government to take a harder position against Israel and to rethink its Middle East policy. In letters sent to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, they ask…
So, world, what are you going to do about settlement expansion?
Jewish colonists give the finger to the international community: The security cabinet decision to stop construction in the territories did not come as a complete surprise to the settlers of the Etzion and Talmon-Dolev blocs. In a race against time, the settlers managed to obtain construction permits and to lay the foundations for hundreds of…
Does J Street realise they are backing an increasingly likely war against Iran?
So-called progressive Jewish lobby J Street has a slight identity crisis. Last week it was willing to criticise ongoing settlements in the West Bank. This week, the tough cop routine rolls out: J Street, the pro-Israel, pro-peace lobby, today announced its support for Congressional passage of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009. “J…