The Jerusalem District Planning and Building committee has canceled two meetings planned for this week, apparently out of concern that any more decisions on construction might result in further tensions with the United States. As reported in Haaretz last week, the committee had already pulled from its agenda discussion of all Israeli construction over the Green Line. The Interior Ministry has said that the meetings were canceled due to technical reasons, as the director of the committee Ruth Yosef had been invited to overlapping Knesset sessions.
As reported in Haaretz last week, the committee had already pulled from its agenda discussion of all Israeli construction over the Green Line.
The Interior Ministry has said that the meetings were canceled due to technical reasons, as the director of the committee Ruth Yosef had been invited to overlapping Knesset sessions.
Apologies galore for the "bad timing" to Obama, but that's about it. In return, Netanyahu got 1,600 housing units approved by the Obama administration, a concurrence on East Jerusalem, which Obama already gave to the Israelis anyway, a desired breakdown of the "informal" i.e., useless, behind the scenes talks (read stall) with Abbas and the Palestinians, and as for AIPAC, whose conference is coming up shortly, he got from Obama, via his press secretary today, more undying commitments to Israel's security, plus everlasting friendship.
What more could an Israeli PM ask for from America? If the Europeans, ala the EU, do not act to declare statehood on their behalf of the Palestinians, we are done for the next generation.
Some believe that we are already in the next phase of this conflict, Apartheid. One way or another, that's where this conflict is going, unless the Europeans act, fend off the assault on Europe of pro-Israel lobby interests, and do what is right.
The Europeans ceased to have an independent policy no later than 2006. The brainless should not be in banking -- Willem Buiter
