The American administration is continuing its unprecedented interference in Israeli internal affairs, not to mention its thawed relations with Israel. In the latest round of diplomatic hardball, the White House and State Department have released statements opposing the planned construction of housing units in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, since according to the Americans, this too is “occupied”. President Barak Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are continuing to sharpen their knives, working in concert to avulse Gilo and other “occupied areas” from modern-day Eretz Yisrael, to place it in the hands of the PA (Palestinian Authority) to serve as the capital of its new Palestinian state.
Plans by the Jerusalem Municipality to construct the neighborhood of Nof Tzion, 900 housing units, has resulted in world press, widespread condemnations, and once again, Israel finds herself defending a planned project in her capital.
In truth, Israeli governments are to blame, at least in part, for during the years since the 1967 victory, in which the world was in awe, seeing Hashem’s hand revealed in a big way, the leaders have always tiptoed, never wishing to offend the international community, primarily the United States, failing to annex Yehuda, Shomron and Gaza, always treating the liberated areas as a step child, still permitting the leftists to control the state-run news agency, which refers to areas of the eastern capital by their Arabic-given names and Yehuda and Shomron as the “West Bank” or “Territories”.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs expressed “dismay” over the planned move, explaining “at a time that we are working to relaunch negotiations, these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed”. The PA of course is having a field day, enjoying its upper hand in this round of diplomatic warfare, backed firmly by the White House and State Department.
Obama continues to make politically correct statements, committed to Israel’s security in any agreement, but in actuality, it is clear that he expects to avulse major areas of land from Israel to hand over to Abu Mazen. The president did not waste a moment after entering the Oval Office, extending a hand of friendship to Israel’s [and America’s] enemies, seeking recognition in the Islamic world.
Joining in, albeit expectedly, condemning the planned construction in the capital, was UN Secretary-General Bank ki-Moon, the champion of the Islamic fundamentalist cause, expressing his opposition to “blatant expansion of settlements”.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) is enjoying the sudden shift in events, returning to his mantra, stating boldly he will not enter into renewed talks with Israel until Jerusalem agrees to a total and unconditional construction freeze throughout Yehuda, Shomron and Yerushalayim. Abu Mazen’s test balloon of a declaration of unilateral statehood failed to enlist the support he needs to infuse life into his failed tenure, a failed resuscitation attempt, with the United States and the European Union signaling they would not support such a measure, with American expected to use its veto power in the UN Security Council if need be.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat was quite vocal, defending Israel’s right to continue construction in her capital, despite American objections.
Minister of Housing Ariel Atias told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) host Razi Barkai on Wednesday morning that America’s protest is out of line and premature, explaining the new neighborhood is in the preliminary stage and there is not event a tender to begin construction, a process which takes a year.
He added that despite America’s vocal position, this administration is not building throughout Yehuda and Shomron as the previous Olmert administration did, using the opportunity to point out that former Prime Minister Olmert built over 9,000 units throughout Yehuda and Shomron in three years, all while negotiations were ongoing with the PA.
Gilo is one of the neighborhoods of the capital that were liberated in the June 1967 Six Day War. Today, it is home to over 30,000 people, an integral part of the capital.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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4 Responses
Why can’t YWN just report the news?
Why do the news have to be chewed up and mixed with a large dose of bias before being delivered?
Maybe that’s why so many of us have a hard time understanding other points of view and think that everything is black and white.
Thank you YWN. By being so judgmental and simplistic you help us raise a new generation of people who think they have the solution to all of the world’s problems, and wonders why most people out there disagree with us.
new york is “occupied areas” stolen from the indians most off this country is american indian territory california belongs to mexico when this goverment will give back the territory they stole from the american indians and from mexico then they can ask only ask for the jews to give the arabs little territory
elmwood, I could have not said it better. I agree with Mayor Nir Barkat.
Yes, rabbiofberlin, I agree, but even better is to separate the news reporting from the opinion pieces.
And when presenting opinions, it’s helpful, occasionally, to look at the arguments from both sides.
In this way, even if your opinion is left unchanged, you can now defend it in a logic, honorable way.
Just look at the comments in the frum websites and you’ll see that, unfortunately, most of us are unable to defend their views consistently and logically. We’ll usually resort to stereotypes and all-encompassing answers such as anti-semitism to defend our feeble point of views.