US Calls tender for Additional West bank Settlement Housing a "Provocation"

[tnitsuj]

from Haaretz

 

[lozina]

Good to hear the US has balls to criticize them, I'm willing to wager that they will rescind these comments after some pressure though, similar to what happened earlier this year when Bush called the Israeli wall "a problem", but later took it back.

 

[DealMonkey]

Yeah, our words ring pretty hollow over there...

U.S.: "Sharon you little mensch, I mean come on. I don't mean to kvetch but can you please stop with the wall and the settlements and the killing and Oy Vey already! The Palestinians don't like it so much."

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Empty, meaningless words. NO ONE in US gov. today has the backbone to really critisize Israel.

 

[JackStorm]

Sharon, being an old buddy of the people who create these settlements. Is very unlikely to actuly stop new settlements from being created. Speaking of hollow, Sharon's words were and continue to be hollow, in regards to the settlements issue. And as long as people like Sharon are in power nothing will ever change on the Israeli side. Just as nothing will ever change aslong as Arafat is in power on the Palestinian side. It's sad that the people who truly want peace are unable to do much due people like this.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

The Israelis are getting two messages from the US. Powell counsels on restraint and a need for compromise . . . plus he says Israeli actions (new settlements/bad fence demarcation) may lead to US responses (aid holdback). Bush (and the rapid-right) send an unambiguous message to Sharon/Likud that US policy is to support Israel without caveat.

A representative of the Israeli government made it clear yesterday that State is talking about consequences for building the fence or new settlements but Bush does not. If Powell had any self respect left he would resign. I think he's trying to be the good soldier by holding his tongue (and job) until after the 2004 election.

 

[Czar]

more shocking news
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=354245&contrassID=1&subContrassID=5&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

A Defense Ministry official confirmed Monday it
will provide services to eight West Bank
settlement outposts, despite the government's
earlier pledge to remove them as part of a stalled
U.S.-backed peace plan.

Dismantling dozens of
unauthorized settlement
outposts was one of Israel's
obligations under the "road
map" peace plan, which was
launched in June with great
fanfare, but quickly bogged
down over disagreements and
violence.


The official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, said that the outposts will be
fenced in and receive lighting, and children
living there will be bused to schools.

The assurances were given to residents of the
outpost in a letter by Ron Shechner, the
settlement adviser of Defense Minister Shaul
Mofaz.

Israel radio reported Monday that the document
instructs government authorities to give Pnei
Kedem, Neve Erez, Mitzpe Kramim, Migron and
other outposts the status of a permanent
township.

Shechner told the Yedioth Ahronoth daily that
this does not mean the outposts are being
legalized. However, the decision appears to
imply recognition, and as such would violate
Israel's promise to the United States not to
establish new settlements.

The Israeli group Peace Now, which monitors
settlement expansion, said that when the road
map was launched, there were 104 outposts.
Since then, the military has dismantled seven,
but five more were established, bringing the
latest total to 102. Peace Now spokesman Dror
Etkes said the population in the outposts has
grown.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

I'm not a proponent of BF Skinner's BS but Sharon has carte blanche to treat the Occupied Territories as his pig pen . . . accordingly it is now just one big pile of poo.