Israel/Palstine War - Twitter edition

[Correction]

But Palestine owed them that money? Not saying Israel is innocent or anything, just trying to understand.

Yes the money is owed. But it's a scummy revenge move that only grows more sworn enemies in Palestine so that Israel never loses its victim card.

In related news: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...dor-settlement

A Foreign Office spokesperson said on Monday: "We deplore the recent Israeli government decision to build 3,000 new housing units and unfreeze development in the E1 block. This threatens the viability of the two-state solution.

"We have called on the Israeli government to reverse this decision. The Israeli ambassador to London, Daniel Taub, has been formally summoned to the Foreign Office this morning by the minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt. The minister set out the depth of the UK's concerns.

"Any decision about any other measures the UK might take will depend on the outcome of our discussions with the Israeli government and with international partners, including the US and EU."

France, Britain and the EU have all protested directly to the director general of the Israeli foreign affairs ministry, Rafi Barak.

Other steps under consideration are sanctions against settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including tougher measures on the labelling of settlement produce exported to Europe, and the suspension of strategic dialogue meetings.

The UK and other EU countries had warned Israel against taking punitive action in response to the UN vote. The Israeli ambassador in Sweden was also summoned on Monday over the decision to expand settlements.

Let's hope the EU has the required balls to get over their white guilt and punish Israel for a change.

[ringthree]

Yes the money is owed. But it's a scummy revenge move that only grows more sworn enemies in Palestine so that Israel never loses its victim card.

In related news: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...dor-settlement





Let's hope the EU has the required balls to get over their white guilt and punish Israel for a change.

Do you really think the only connection for European countries to Israel is white guilt?

And starting new settlements in the occupied territories is so fucking stupid. I hate Bibi.

[ringthree]

Lol, this is what a "ceasefire" looks like in the IP conflict. Israel, with all the power, just ups the frequency of stick-poking, and then acts outraged when the monkey flings poop at them.

Well, Israel has stated that if the PA recognizes Israel as a state, removes the destruction of Israel from the PA charter and gives security guarantees, that they will fully recognize the PA as an independent state.

From an objective position, mutual recognition would be one of the best ways to move forward. Both sides are just poking the other right now. The PA knows that moving forward with recognition before resolving the issue with Israel first is just as provocative as some (not all, like settlements) of the things that Israel is doing.

[archibaldcrane]

Well, Israel has stated that if the PA recognizes Israel as a state, removes the destruction of Israel from the PA charter and gives security guarantees, that they will fully recognize the PA as an independent state.

Would they pull out all their settlers?

Because if not, then why would the PA go for this?

[kuronosan]

Well, Israel has stated that if the PA recognizes Israel as a state, removes the destruction of Israel from the PA charter and gives security guarantees, that they will fully recognize the PA as an independent state.

From an objective position, mutual recognition would be one of the best ways to move forward. Both sides are just poking the other right now. The PA knows that moving forward with recognition before resolving the issue with Israel first is just as provocative as some (not all, like settlements) of the things that Israel is doing.

Yes, because Israel will just stop if that happened.

[Correction]

The PA knows that moving forward with recognition before resolving the issue with Israel first is just as provocative as some (not all, like settlements) of the things that Israel is doing.

The UN vote took zero land and money from Israeli citizens. How is there an equivalence here?

[kuronosan]

Ron Paul.

[Kuya]

Not even plow could both sides the recent turn of events. Ringthree is definitely special.

[ringthree]

The UN vote took zero land and money from Israeli citizens. How is there an equivalence here?

Well, I believe it contravenes the peace process that they have on-again, off-again, engaged in for a while.

I am not saying it is equivalent to settlements. I am just saying it was provocative, and they knew there would be a response.

[ringthree]

Would they pull out all their settlers?

Because if not, then why would the PA go for this?

I believe that settlers would have to be part of that process. Hell, I believe settlers are a prerequisite to that process. They are a poison pill, and that is why I hate Bibi, because he uses them as a weapon and doesn't even try to really include them in negotiations. I don't think things are going anywhere until he is gone. I don't think things are anything close to intractable. Rabin and Peres prove that.

[Correction]

I am just saying it was provocative, and they knew there would be a response.

You'd think diplomacy could rise over childish tantrums like the one Israel is throwing right now. This isn't about the peace process, this is about Palestine trying to get on a level diplomatic playing field, and Israel doesn't like that. It's only provocative because Israel isn't getting everything it wants when it wants it. So it takes and takes because their land grabs benefit from the chaos.

[ringthree]

You'd think diplomacy could rise over childish tantrums like the one Israel is throwing right now. This isn't about the peace process, this is about Palestine trying to get on a level diplomatic playing field, and Israel doesn't like that. It's only provocative because Israel isn't getting everything it wants when it wants it. So it takes and takes because their land grabs benefit from the chaos.

The PA knows that it achieves absolutely nothing toward a level diplomatic playing field with this move. It's an empty gesture. Just like holding back PA tax money.

[Correction]

The PA knows that it achieves absolutely nothing toward a level diplomatic playing field with this move. It's an empty gesture. Just like holding back PA tax money.

It is a show of strength on behalf of the PA. Israel and its allies would like nothing more than to further delegitimize the PA's bargaining authority, the fact that the PA now has a 'win' on its scorecard and an avenue to the international courts means it has more leverage than it had before. The new status in the UN does little to advance the cause of peace itself, but Israel may now act with a little less impunity than before, if the EU reactions to the recent landgrab can be taken at face value.

And witholding PA tax money is not an empty gesture what the fuck.

[ringthree]

It is a show of strength on behalf of the PA. Israel and its allies would like nothing more than to further delegitimize the PA's bargaining authority, the fact that the PA now has a 'win' on its scorecard and an avenue to the international courts means it has more leverage than it had before. The new status in the UN does little to advance the cause of peace itself, but Israel may now act with a little less impunity than before, if the EU reactions to the recent landgrab can be taken at face value.

And witholding PA tax money is not an empty gesture what the fuck.

How does Israel act with less impunity? The only thing it will do is politicize the ICC and decrease it's fragile legitimacy. It will do nothing to Israeli relations with anyone of importance to them. The "win" means absolutely nothing, and was just a snub at Israel. There is no new leverage for the PA that doesn't involve engaging directly with Israel. They can't get around it.

I think you are confusing issues. The US and EU have always generally been against settlements since Oslo. And it's not like settlements are a new issue. Do not for a moment take statements against the settlements as a lack of support for the state of Israel.

As for the tax money, I think Israel will cave quickly on that issue, or other donors will fill in for the PA's needs.

[Kuya]

The Israeli government is rejecting the wave of condemnation coming from American and European governments, and insisting on its actions. If one thing can be said about what the Palestinians recently accomplished at the UN, it can be said that Israel is suffering diplomatically because of it.

A defiant Israel has rejected a wave of American and European condemnations over plans to build thousands of new homes in West Bank settlements, vowing to press forward with the construction in the face of widespread international opposition.

The UK, France, Spain, Denmark and Sweden on Monday summoned Israeli ambassadors in their respective countries to protest Israel's plans to build more settler homes in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Prime Minister Beinyamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would continue to stand up for its interests "even in the face of international pressure, and there will be no change in the decision taken".

The announcement from Netanyahu's office was likely to deepen a rift that has emerged between Israel and some of its closest allies following the UN's recognition of a Palestinian state last week.

The decision to build in a key area east of Jerusalem, called E1, sparked a storm of diplomatic protest from Washington and Brussels as well as from UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who on Sunday warned it would deal an "almost fatal blow" to the prospects of resolving the conflict.

E1 is a highly contentious area of the West Bank that runs between the easternmost edge of annexed east Jerusalem and the Maaleh Adumim settlement.

Palestinians bitterly oppose the project, as it would effectively cut the occupied West Bank in two, north to south, and sever it from Jerusalem, and make the creation of a viable Palestinian state even more problematic.

Josh Lockman, a professor of international law at the University of Southern California, said Israel's reaction to Palestine's new UN status brings into doubt its "genuine commitment to a two-state solution".

"[Israel's announcement] will draw a lot of condemnation, not just in the region from key actors such as Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, which are already trying to broker this undoubtedly tenuous ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, but also the European Union and the United States," he told Al Jazeera on Monday.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middle...816967394.html

[ringthree]

The Israeli government is rejecting the wave of condemnation coming from American and European governments, and insisting on its actions. If one thing can be said about what the Palestinians recently accomplished at the UN, it can be said that Israel is suffering diplomatically because of it.







http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middle...816967394.html

Those same nations either voted against or abstained from the Palestinian state resolution. This is about settlements alone, and not a show of support for the PA.

[Kuya]

Good thing i said that Israel is suffering diplomatically and not that the PA is gaining political capital internationally, although Abbas certainly gained support locally.

[Mazmaz]

I don't get it. Why don't the Palestinians just blow up these new settlements? Or kill the settlers?

[Salodin]

How do the two armies compare? You're answer probably lies somewhere in there.

[Mazmaz]

Also, who are these fucking settlers that want to live in these danger zones?