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Last update - 10:15 01/04/2008 Fooling ourselves By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israel, U.S.  Had Peace Now not published reports from time to time, it is doubtful anyone would have been aware of the continuing construction in the settlements. One might have assumed from the declarations by Ehud Olmert's government that construction had been suspended and that efforts were being made to reach a peace agreement to include withdrawal from most of the West Bank. From the complaints by the settlers' leadership as well, one might have concluded that there was a freeze on building and that the settler youth were really and truly homeless. But quite different things are happening in the territories. The dynamic of deception is continuing. Deception of the Americans, deception of the voters for parties that etched peace on their standard, deception of the Palestinians and above all self-deception. Our top leaders have joined together on a course that has no objective. These include Defense Minister Ehud Barak, whose political path no one understands and which he himself is not bothering to clarify, the prime minister, who serves as a commentator on reality instead of shaping it, and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who is conducting negotiations on evacuation while the government is continuing to build. The Labor Party is indeed "not ripe for elections," as Education Minister Yuli Tamir said yesterday, and it is very doubtful it will ever be so. Instead of putting all its energy into furthering legislation of an evacuation-compensation law, which would enable whomever is interested to leave the West Bank immediately (and it is estimated that thousands are interested), petitions are arriving at the High Court of Justice on the positioning of mobile homes at the edges of outposts that have not been evacuated. Advertisement It is difficult to understand the point of the High Court's order to remove one mobile home at Har Bracha when the defense minister is approving the construction of 48 new homes in Ariel for settlers evacuated from Gush Katif. These evacuees were not supposed to live in the settlements, but they have arrived there nonetheless. The provocative construction in the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem is continuing full speed ahead, under the fraudulent heading of strengthening Jerusalem. Barak and Olmert are retreating from the line formulated as far back as 2000, to the effect that Arab Jerusalem will be for the Palestinians and Jewish Jerusalem for the Jews. The impression has emerged that it is no coincidence that the same Barak who failed in those talks is the one causing these talks to fail. The same Ze'ev "Zambish" Hever, who along with Ariel Sharon brought the settlements disaster down on the State of Israel, is continuing to push for construction in the West Bank under the auspices of a government that had declared a different path. It appears there is no point at all in electing a government and formulating coalition guidelines because whether it is a government of the right or left, building in the settlements continues. Israel is continuing to work against itself, against its future, against any chance for the existence of two nation states side by side. During her visit yesterday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that henceforth the Americans would keep an eye on Israel's easing of conditions for the Palestinians in the West Bank. For years the same old dance has been going on in which the Americans scold and the Israelis promise, as though the Israelis have decided to make every effort to thwart the solution that everyone knows is the only solution. Time is running out and the self-deception is continuing. Not the Americans, but rather the Israelis will bear the results of this continued disorder. If there is any place forbidden for Israel to build even one more house, it is the West Bank, beyond the separation fence and anywhere it is clear to anyone with eyes to see that it is part of the Palestinian state. Such a state is an Israeli interest of the highest order. A new neighborhood in Ariel or Arab Jerusalem will not advance its establishment. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bad company Madonna draws ire for picturing John McCain near Hitler during a recent show. Raw energy An unemployed Israeli ecologist has a solution to the fuel crisis and global warming.   1.   Israels tremendous responsibility 10:33  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/04/08   2.   Israel is a runaway train 10:40  |  Clickfool 01/04/08   3.   As it is... 10:44  |  Esther 01/04/08   4.   Self-deception indeed! 10:50  |  Zion Watchman 01/04/08   5.   Is this called policy? 10:57  |  Esther 01/04/08   6.   Abbas doesn`t commit and is unable to implement even if he does 11:02  |  Sam 01/04/08   7.   Clickfool & Dino 11:07  |  Smith 01/04/08   8.   Serious Stuff 11:08  |  Pete 01/04/08   9.   Clickfool & Dino contd. 11:13  |  Smith 01/04/08   10.   fooling everybody 11:14  |  zeev 01/04/08   11.   home sweet home 11:21  |  tit for tat 01/04/08   12.   and one professes to wonder 11:24  |  samos 01/04/08   13.   Re Click #2 11:27  |  Esther 01/04/08   14.   IN THE EYES OF THEIR OWN ALLIES 11:47  |  indrajaya 01/04/08   15.   Keeping the `flames` as only Haaretz can 11:54  |  TonyL 01/04/08   16.   @Swiss (DINO) 12:07  |  Ralph 01/04/08   17.   Israel is a systematic abuser of international law 12:13  |  Nick Ferriman 01/04/08   18.   What are they betting on? 12:16  |  John 01/04/08   19.   Well Known facts of settlements!!! 12:22  |  dr eric 01/04/08   20.   # 7 Smith 12:30  |  Nick Ferriman 01/04/08   21.   The real deception regarding settlements! 12:32  |  Dr eric 01/04/08   22.   # 7 # 9 Smith 12:33  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/04/08   23.   This is the price for continued peace negotiations 12:34  |  Slibovitz 01/04/08   24.   # 16 Ralph 12:36  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/04/08   25.   ISRAEL HAS ONLY 3 OPTIONS, YOUR SUGGESTION IS NOT ONE OF THEM 12:40  |  G.Marcus 01/04/08   26.   Israel`s appetite for self-destruction 12:41  |  Danny 01/04/08   27.   fuck Sha,s who needs them??????? 12:46  |  israeli4peace 01/04/08   28.   There are ONLY FIVE ways this can play out 12:48  |  spyguy 01/04/08   29.   to hell with settlers!!!!!!!!!! 12:49  |  Israeli4peace 01/04/08   30.   I hate the settlers 12:50  |  Israeli4Peace 01/04/08   31.   Loud, Proud, and Clear: We WILL Build Here In OUR Land 12:52  |  Yishai Kohen 01/04/08   32.   To Swiss Dino #1- who is the "rest of the world"?? 12:53  |  Dr Eric 01/04/08   33.   TIME IS SO MUCH ON ISRAEL`S SIDE!!! 13:03  |  Dr eric 01/04/08   34.   Abandon Israel Now 13:09  |  William 01/04/08   35.   to israeli4peace = israeli for hate! 13:10  |  dr Eric 01/04/08   36.   For "Smith" # 9 13:22  |  Clickfool 01/04/08   37.   IT IS VERY CLEAR: THE ZIONIST ENTREPRISE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT PEACE 13:25  |  TripleJump 01/04/08   38.   # 32 Dr Eric, FOX NEWS from last night...... 13:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/04/08   39.   Thanks for the chuckle, Nick # 20 13:26  |  Clickfool 01/04/08   40.   Land theft and settlements are the OPPOSITES of peace 13:27  |  Henrique 01/04/08   41.   Jews are Provacative 13:39  |  D.D. 01/04/08   42.   #17 nick the lawyer not and total crap 13:48  |  v hardman 01/04/08   43.   #9 - Israel joining the EU? Not in a million years. 13:51  |  Keith T. 01/04/08   44.   #30 Israeli4Peace 13:56  |  George Kaplan 01/04/08   45.   Dr Eric 14:08  |  George Kaplan 01/04/08   46.   If there is ever peace... 14:32  |  Lobo08 01/04/08   47.   to dr Eric #35 14:35  |  zeev 01/04/08   48.   Nick Ferriman & Clickfool 14:46  |  Smith 01/04/08   49.   to Dr eric #33 - only dimwitted 14:47  |  zeev 01/04/08   50.   #38 swiss dino - you are right to some degree 14:58  |  dr eric 01/04/08   51.   to Dr eric #33 - delusional hopes 15:05  |  zeev 01/04/08   52.   You hit the nail on the head 15:09  |  Jack 01/04/08   53.   No one in the world believes a word Israel says anyway 15:11  |  Chanalau, Tova 01/04/08   54.   Olmert,Barak,Netanyahu all going along with settlement policy 15:11  |  Sam 01/04/08   55.   Esther 15:11  |  GABE1 01/04/08   56.   Deranged 15:13  |  Marilyn 01/04/08   57.   Dear Zeev 15:13  |  Dr Eric 01/04/08   58.   Israel deceptive? 15:24  |  Natallie Durson 01/04/08   59.   #48 - Smith do **NOT** count on the US 15:25  |  spyguy 01/04/08   60.   44#no mr Kaplan you a shameful Jew 15:30  |  Israeli4Peace 01/04/08   61.   35# Yes I do 15:33  |  Israeli4Peace 01/04/08   62.   Haaretz Editorial : fooling themselves 15:33  |  Ben Ezrah 01/04/08   63.   # 50 Dr Eric, a lot of "consensus" between us.... 15:36  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/04/08   64.   Wake Up - No Chance for Peace 15:37  |  Mike 01/04/08   65.   #20 Nick Ferriman 15:38  |  Boycott 01/04/08   66.   No Two state and no one state solution left 15:46  |  Tzfonit 01/04/08   67.   Smith: "No contiguous West Bank..." 15:47  |  Fenno-Ugrian 01/04/08   68.   Western leaders see Palestinians for what they are 15:48  |  Sam 01/04/08   69.   Israel is our tiny land and we`re building. What deception? 15:59  |  Chaim 01/04/08   70.   Spyguy 16:03  |  Smith 01/04/08   71.   If Israel takes the West bank... 16:04  |  Walter 01/04/08   72.   #29 Israeli4peace. You are an idiot. 16:05  |  Chaim 01/04/08   73.   Umm Itail Ibn Ibrahim @66 (tzfonit) 16:11  |  GABE1 01/04/08   74.   I was going to say that.. 16:37  |  hollingsworth 01/04/08   75.   GABE1, ya ibn kelb 16:39  |  Ibrahim 01/04/08   76.   Dear Dr Eric #57 - (1) 16:45  |  zeev 01/04/08   77.   Wishing this editorial reflects the majority`s opinion!! 16:46  |  Pal4Peace 01/04/08   78.   Dear Dr Eric #57 - (2) 16:46  |  zeev 01/04/08   79.   "The major goal... 16:54  |  Anne 01/04/08   80.   77#Pal4Peace 17:18  |  Israeli4Peace 01/04/08   81.   78# amen too that 17:22  |  Israeli4Peace 01/04/08   82.   and mr Kaplan one more thing 17:24  |  Israeli4Peace 01/04/08   83.   illegal settle,ents 18:13  |  millburn united 01/04/08   84.   Ibrahim muarrass 18:39  |  AlPasha 01/04/08   85.   Tzfonit/Zeev 18:54  |  Roo 01/04/08   86.   # 42 Victor Hardman 19:17  |  Nick Ferriman 01/04/08   87.   #83 Al Pasha 19:20  |  Pal4Peace 01/04/08   88.   Barak caused the talks at Camp David to fail? 19:21  |  Johnny Weintraub 01/04/08   89.   Please do not lie! 19:25  |  Zirbri 01/04/08   90.   Zeev in Beersheva (Post No. 78) 19:29  |  Johnny Weintraub 01/04/08   91.   # 65 Boycott, second try 19:31  |  Nick Ferriman 01/04/08   92.   Israels Right 19:39  |  Robert 01/04/08   93.   Pros and Cons 19:40  |  Jeff Northridge 01/04/08   94.   # 7 Smith and #17 Nick Ferriman 19:47  |  Zirbri 01/04/08   95.   The Sergeant Shutlz Solution 19:47  |  Mark Lincoln 01/04/08   96.   What, No Reporters Haaretz? 19:56  |  Clark Kent 01/04/08   97.   If Israel`s goal is expansionism... 19:58  |  Walter 01/04/08   98.   to Johnny Weintraub 20:03  |  Zirbri 01/04/08   99.   to #91 Nick Ferriman 20:10  |  Zirbri 01/04/08   100.   more lies 20:13  |  curious george 01/04/08   101.   Mark "Colonel Klink" Lincoln knows nothing 20:29  |  peter 01/04/08   102.   To all those supporting the settlements 20:34  |  Jack 01/04/08   103.   # 87 Palest4 for terror: 20:34  |  AlBoulbol 01/04/08   104.   one minor correction 20:37  |  hollingsworth 01/04/08   105.   to Johnny Weintraub #90 20:42  |  zeev 01/04/08   106.   102# some sanity 20:55  |  Israeli4Peace 01/04/08   107.   to J. Weintraub #90 - and something else 20:59  |  zeev 01/04/08   108.   Well Curious George 21:07  |  Tzfonit 01/04/08   109.   For Johnny Weintraub # 88 21:10  |  Clickfool 01/04/08   110.   For Smith # 70 21:12  |  Clickfool 01/04/08   111.   # 103 : a lesson in history 21:21  |  El Effendi 01/04/08   112.   tzfonit umm Itai ibn Ibrahim 22:13  |  GABE1 01/04/08   113.   to El Effendi #111 22:15  |  zeev 01/04/08   114.   Why I find US support for Israel so despicable.. 22:34  |  Dutch 01/04/08   115.   FOOLING OURSELVES 22:37  |  Herman Bordowitz 01/04/08   116.   Correction of editorial. Olmert "commentator"??? 22:48  |  zmogus 01/04/08   117.   West Bank/Fence?! 23:03  |  Moses 01/04/08   118.   The Israel Haters are wrong on Amercans 23:44  |  Scharker Yid 01/04/08   119.   Pigheaded Peter 23:47  |  Mark Lincoln 01/04/08   120.   For Herman Bordowitz # 115 23:49  |  Clickfool 01/04/08   121.   Deception is Easy 23:49  |  Guy From NYC 01/04/08   122.   Ibrahim and salivatingm @75-A Reply in Kind 23:50  |  GABE1 01/04/08   123.   What do we do 23:59  |  Andy 01/04/08   124.   Uh Pal4Peace, thats not correct 00:11  |  Scharker Yid 02/04/08   125.   Why I find Dutch so silly 00:12  |  JP 02/04/08   126.   trying to fool ourselves 00:12  |  peter 02/04/08   127.   Giving the Finger to the US President 00:13  |  Pablo B 02/04/08   128.   Dutch #114 00:22  |  TonyL 02/04/08   129.   #2 Clickfool, excellent description. 00:47  |  Ben Alofs 02/04/08   130.   #115 Herman 00:53  |  kathy 02/04/08   131.   Israeli4peace 00:53  |  Cyasher 02/04/08   132.   Don`t Believe It!! 00:54  |  Janice 02/04/08   133.   Facts for "Dr. Eric" 01:10  |  Janice 02/04/08   134.   Thanks Israeli4Peace 01:14  |  Janice 02/04/08   135.   You are quite wrong Herman 01:26  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   136.   #90 - Settlements are not the cause of the Middle East conflict 01:30  |  Diane Mason 02/04/08   137.   deseption like the story of ruth and joeseph. 01:36  |  billy jack 02/04/08   138.   #78 Zeev. What makes you think "Palestinian" state will bring 01:43  |  Chaim 02/04/08   139.   #70 Hey,Hey Smithy just Hold Your Horses and think About The Cash 01:50  |  I 02/04/08   140.   #114 Dutch. Leave it to you to quote Carter fabrications to vilif 01:58  |  Chaim 02/04/08   141.   Peace can only come with resounding Israeli victory. It`s not a 02:14  |  Chaim 02/04/08   142.   Johnny Weintraub andCamp David 02:44  |  John 02/04/08   143.   # 137 billy jack..And What Does That Have To Do With The Price. 02:47  |  I 02/04/08   144.   So when, I must now ask 02:50  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   145.   The words of the prophets are written 02:53  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   146.   Change 03:01  |  roger wallace 02/04/08   147.   Keith T 03:10  |  rich 02/04/08   148.   GABE1. I love you too. 03:19  |  Ibrahim 02/04/08   149.   Re 110 clicky and the mad ayatollahs 03:24  |  Alan the real one 02/04/08   150.   Israel will never "win".. 03:30  |  betz55 02/04/08   151.   Mark Lincoln re: Peter 04:14  |  TonyL 02/04/08   152.   Esther #5 - deliberate policies 04:25  |  dana 02/04/08   153.   Diane Mason 04:28  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   154.   #118 Scharker Yid- you would have to be an "average American". 04:29  |  PADDY 02/04/08   155.   Mark Lincoln #135 - what palestinians want and what they can have 04:51  |  dana 02/04/08   156.   Tony L 04:57  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   157.   Mark Lincoln P1 05:00  |  TonyL 02/04/08   158.   Mark Lincoln, about "national security" 05:01  |  Bruce 02/04/08   159.   The pathological inability to be honest 05:09  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   160.   Mark Lincoln P2 05:10  |  TonyL 02/04/08   161.   Tony L - the final official word 05:14  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   162.   #141 - Chaim wants scenario #1, BUT does NOT 05:29  |  spyguy 02/04/08   163.   Segregation? 05:33  |  Marc 02/04/08   164.   #150 Betz#55. You don`t want Israel to win but that doesn`t mean 05:40  |  Chaim 02/04/08   165.   Bruce - who is living in the distant past 06:07  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   166.   Chaim - define `win" 06:15  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   167.   The question unasked 06:21  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   168.   to Marilyn 06:27  |  hollingsworth 02/04/08   169.   The Past. 06:31  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08   170.   Chaim has such a way with words 06:47  |  hollingsworth 02/04/08   171.   OLMERT WANTS TO EXPEL 100,000 JEWS AND GIVE AWAY JERUSALEM 06:51  |  Rachel 02/04/08   172.   fooling ourselves 06:57  |  martin list, m.d. 02/04/08   173.   Olmert will surrender Jerusalem Judea and Samaria to Hamas & PLO 06:58  |  ROB SCHWARTZ 02/04/08   174.   Betz55 don`t ignore independent jewish voices 07:05  |  Truth 02/04/08   175.   Mark Lincoln #161 07:27  |  TonyL 02/04/08   176.   #164 Chaim - Please advise... 07:41  |  PADDY 02/04/08   177.   settlements have a life of their own... 08:53  |  Silvienne 02/04/08   178.   There is No Deception 09:06  |  davidk 02/04/08   179.   to Chaim #138 11:31  |  zeev 02/04/08   180.   #162 spyguy. Using your "logic" the Allies should have lost WW II 15:52  |  Chaim 02/04/08   181.   #179 Zeev. Rationally we can judge an idea insane if it produces 15:58  |  Chaim 02/04/08   182.   #170 Hollingsworth. I`m not trying to make you feel guilty. Just 16:05  |  Chaim 02/04/08   183.   #166 Mark Lincoln. The little boy in Sderot who lost his leg 16:10  |  Chaim 02/04/08   184.   One state for all it`s citizens - the right thing 17:08  |  Steve 02/04/08   185.   At last.. 17:41  |  hollingsworth 02/04/08   186.   Settling all the land 23:00  |  globalobserver 02/04/08   187.   Dr. Eric 00:06  |  Ezekial 03/04/08   188.   #181 This is clearly untrue Chaim 04:08  |  Johnboy 03/04/08   189.   to Chaim #181 - (2) 05:50  |  zeev 03/04/08   190.   Not anti-Semiticism, anti-Zionism 05:58  |  Alfred 03/04/08   191.   to Chaim #183 19:04  |  zeev 03/04/08   192.   to Chaim #181 - (1) 19:19  |  zeev 03/04/08   193.   We can at least hope so, Alfred 20:20  |  hollingsworth 03/04/08   194.   #185, hollingsworth... 11:28  |  Silvienne 04/04/08   195.   it`s just the same old game of deception 07:53  |  eric 05/04/08   196.   125 JP and US 14:07  |  Dan 05/04/08   197.   #139 Where thr cash goes. 14:24  |  Dan 05/04/08   198.   #155 what Palestinians can have 14:46  |  Dan 05/04/08   199.   #180 chaim and WWII 15:21  |  Dan 05/04/08   200.   Building Israel.... 05:07  |  Moobarak Hosein Obam 26/08/08

Read & React Gilad Shalit becomes punchline for jokes in the Gaza Strip Responses: 115 ANALYSIS / On verge of Rice visit, Israel and PA far from peace accord Responses: 29 Akiva Eldar: Let settlers who refuse evacuation in peace deal stay in Palestine Responses: 60 Israel not planning to detain activists' boats leaving Gaza Responses: 33 More Headlines 04:42 Obama: World must press Iran before Israel strikes 04:04 Peace Now: West Bank settlement construction nearly doubled this year 03:40 UNIFIL slams Lebanon, Syria for allowing smuggling through porous border 04:42 Author of fake Holocaust memoir admits: I'm not even Jewish 02:34 Barak puts Tel Aviv apartment up for sale for NIS 40 million 04:59 Army loses battle over budget as gov't moves to make defense cuts 05:11 A lousy day to be a police detective in search for 4-year-old girl 05:29 Border policeman, soldier arrested for raping homeless woman 06:00 Kadima field operatives believed to have ties with organized crime 06:07 Police arrest mom, daughter at airport for running prostitution ring 06:17 Seven Palestinians arrested for playing cops in Jerusalem 06:26 Mob boss crony denies singing to American authorities Previous Editions Select Day 25 aug 24 aug 22 aug 21 aug 20 aug 19 aug 18 aug 17 aug 15 aug 14 aug 13 aug 12 aug

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