'Abbas seeks U.S. pledge for East Jerusalem construction freeze'

The US did tell the Palestinians to go to hell, and they have been there for 42 years of Israeli occupation and oppression. Why would the Palestinians not dance in the streets on 9/11, their enemy, the one who had enabled, supported and abetted the Israel occupation of their land, had just been hit. Since 9/11 the Palestinians have evolved to be a US partner trying to bring peace to Palestine. Its the Zionofascist who have manipulated, exploited, spied on, defied and lied to the US. You used the expression Saudi Islamist-Jihadist to imply Saudi Arabia was involved in 9/11. If you claim that, its a lie. US Arab allies, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait and the UAE, are on the front lines in the war on radical Islamic terrorism, and the US could not hope to win that war without their superb intel and military support. In a recent 4-day period, the Saudis killed 15 members of Al Qaeda. They have over 200 in prison. How many Al Qaeda members has Israel killed and imprisoned?

No state or court recognizes Israel's sovereign rights in E Jerusalem and thus the Palestinian leader should have his pledge ... In addition, the US and EU must put its foot down and withhold aid and trading privilages as individuals and groups are planning on do ing if Israel fails to comply. Thus , the overall cost to Israel's legitimacy will be hard as it should be.... Land thieves and outlaws should not be defining the terms of the law. No sir, not at all! Dutch

Jerusalem is not the capital of the USA neither is it the legal capital of Israel. Every UN member has an obligation to abide by UN resolutions. That is why the US embassy is in Tel Aviv and not in Jerusalem. Israel is a state lacking any legal basis for sovereignty in Jerusalem. UNSC resolution 181, under which Israel declared statehood, declared Jerusalem to be an international city, "corpus separatum," managed under UN auspices. In 1980 the Knesset passed the "Basic Law" which declared Jerusalem, complete and unified, the capital of Israel. The Basic Law is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions 476 & 478 and thus a violation of Article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention, and therefore a war crime. UNSC resolution 478 declared the Knesset Basic Law "null and void" and 476 declares any demographic changes in Jerusalem a violation of international law and a serious violation of the Geneva Convention. Breaches of articles of the 4th Convention are considered war crimes.

There is a reason why US, Canada, and all other UN members, except Israel, condemn Israeli actions in Jerusalem. They are illegal: and UN members are obligated to accept and carry out decision of the UNSC. Israel is a lacking any legal basis for sovereignty in Jerusalem. UN resolution 181, under which Israel declared statehood, declared Jerusalem to be an international city, "corpus separatum," managed by the UN. In 1980 the Knesset passed the "Basic Law" which declared Jerusalem, complete and unified, the capital of Israel. The Basic Law was a violation of UNSC resolutions 476 & 478, and thus a violation of Article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention: a war crime. UNSC 478 declared the Knesset Basic Law "null and void," and 476 declared any demographic changes in Jerusalem a violation of the Geneva Convention. Breaches of articles of the 4th Convention are considered war crimes. Palestinians have been brainwashed by 42 years of occupation and oppression, not their leaders.

The Israeli phrase of "facts on the ground" is nothing more than an attempt to legitimize Israeli human rights violations. Colonization of East Jerusalem is simply a continuance of violence against the Palestinians. Israel's actions are attempts to undermine the peace process and incite reactions from the Palestinians. Netanyahu and Lieberman are not honorable people seeking peace. The only way justice can be achieved is when the USA, EU, Russia and the UN act in unison to assure a viable, governable, contiguous and secure Palestine.

It is time Abbas stops treating America as his nanny and slave. America is the Super Power of the world and should not be manipulated to do the dirty of Islamist-Jihadism. The American people remember very clearly the events of 9/11 when Saudi Islamist-Jihadist terrorists attacked America and murdered 3000 Americans in cold blood, and saw Abbas' Islamist-Jihadists celebrated and danced on the streets of Ramallah seeing Americans vaporized to their deaths! Now the scoundrels have the temerity to treat America as his slave to do their dirty work on Israel. It is time America tells them to go to Hell.

If Israel gives up the planned 1600 units, who cares. It may be a wise strategy to trade something that doesn't yet exist for negotiating points. If they don't come to the table Israel goes on with the plan, if they do come to the table you shelve it(the 1600 units) to see if the Pals are serious. I like the idea of trading a plan to build (really nothing) for something from the Pals. After all the Pals want something real(a country) from Israel, and all Israel gets is a piece of paper (Nothing) in return. Time to turn the tables.

Their land Heather! they gave up their land! Or how about their dignity? daily humiliation from check points? raids by the IDF? The biggest outdoor prison in the world? Arrests? I can go on and on.... What have you given up lately Heather?

So Israel freezes building settlements and Palistinians continue to fire missiles at Isreal? What kind of plan is that? Show me one thing that Palistians have given up to this process? Isreal has given up things, they gave up Gaza, only to have it become another launch site for missiles.

If Obama can't deliver, if Obama only has 6 months to be effective at getting Israel to do things, and he can't even get Israel to do a temporary freeze, then what's the point? Every US President wants to be able to say that peace negotiations are proceeding. But then after the talking the Palestinians get nothing. And wasn't Abbas there when Clinton did that, and then blamed the result on the Palestinians? What reward does Abbas get for going through the motions again? A long time ago a comedian said that we should hold summit meetings in July, barefoot on a North Carolina asphalt driveway. Imagine Kennedy and Kruschev standing there with the tar oozing between their toes, they'd have reason to get a quick agreement! Israel is willing to have peace talks to make the US President look good, but do they care about reaching an agreement? If they give up new settlements while they talk, it shows they might actually have some stake in peace. But they do not.

Except, we don't like the pals, not one bit. They are the cause of all terror and misery in the ME. Osama Bin Ladin is their champion, enough said.

"Since when is Jerusalem the capital of the USA? Negotiate with the rightful owners." They already are, they're negotiating with the Palestinians, the rightful owners in law. Both in the eyes of the international court and Israel's High Court, which recognises that the West Bank is Occupied territory, not sovereign territory.

well I think it might be a good idea for Israel to let the Palestinians, Canada and the US know where they can do their building. I love Canada and the US but where do they get off thinking they can tell a Sovereign Nation where they can do their building? Have they all lost their minds? I also like the Palestinian people but their leaders need years of therapy and the people have been hopelessly brainwashed....very sad indeed....warm regards....Gregg Bowman

about israel. lots of us are getting fed up w/you, that includes american jews. we're broke, don't think you can spit on us and take our money forever.

not likely! possession and power goes a long way to legitimize possession! ask the very Palestinians who now complain what they did in the past to the Jews living in their lands. now the 'shoe' is on the other foot! Jerusalem will be a Hebrew City!

Both Obama & Abbas know that Bibi cannot survive if he stops building in Jerusalem and its only because he is building in Jerusalem his coalition partners have accepted a freeze in Judea & Samaria. Obama also knows that alot of Democrat supporting jews do not want any compromises on Jerusalem and with midterms in November the Democrats can't afford to upset them to much. If Abbas had any sense he would stop playing hard to get because Obama is the best friend the palestiians have ever had & the Democrats control Congress which makes it easier for the pro arab anti Israel Democrat president. Democrats can't afford to be to anti Israel because of the mideterms & the closer we get to them the less pressure will be put on Israel. After that Abbas probably has about 6 months before Obama goes into lame duck stage because he is coming into the 2012 presidential election The he has to start thinking about groups like AIPAC & jewish voters which means he has to be more pro Israel.

Since when is Jerusalem the capital of the USA? Negotiate with the rightful owners.