Tuesday, June 16, 2009

US to be flexible towards Israel

In monday's 'Jerusalem Post', it is reported that at the end of a meeting with Silvio Berlusconi, "Barack Obama welcomed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's endorsement of Palestinian independence, saying the development shows the "possibility we can restart serious talks."(1) What "development" and what "independence" the American President is referring to only he knows, or doesn't know. And when 'Haarerz' maintains that, according to a government source in Jerusalem, "The U.S. administration is prepared to show flexibility on construction in West Bank settlements, a government source in Jerusalem says and that the Americans will apparently not demand a full freeze on construction, but will agree that projects now underway can be completed,"(2) the mind boggles. The settlements are illegal, the occupation is illegal, indeed, denying the Palestinians their right of return is illegal, and what do we have? We have an Israel that is no longer content at just being recognised by its neighbours, but now also wants to be recognised as a Jewish state. Of course, the implications that such a recognition would have not only for the 1.2 million Palestinians with Israeli citizenship but also for the "Palestinian right of return", which is embedded in international law and given expression by UN Resolution 194,is all too obvious. Unfortunately, instead of an international outcry, instead, of hearing Arab leaders screaming injustice at the top of their voices, there is our hype man spouting drivel and suggesting that there is now the possibility that serious talks can be restarted. Wake up, this nonsense is not to be taken seriously, it is tasteless, it is offensive, it is criminal.
1 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1244371108096&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
2 http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1093219.html

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