China joins world condemnation of East Jerusalem building plan
France counters Obama, EU worry that Israel's plan for 900 homes will pose obstacle to peace process.
By Haaretz Service and Agencies Tags: Israel news East JerusalemChina's Foreign Ministry on Thursday added to a chorus of American, European and Palestinian demands that Israel halt construction in East Jerusalem, days after Israel announced plans to build 900 new homes in the neighborhood of Gilo.
"We urge the Israeli side to take concrete measures to restore Palestine-Israel mutual trust and create favorable conditions for the early resumption of talks between them," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a regular briefing, echoing U.S. President Barack Obama's concern that the construction poses new obstacles to the Middle East peace process.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, however, said Wednesday that he did not believe the plan would hinder peace talks. Kouchner's remarks came after Obama said the plan would complicate efforts by his administration to relaunch peace talks and embitter the Palestinians.
Kouchner told reporters at the Jaffa home of the French ambassador to Israel that he had understood from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the move was only in the stages of planning, a clarification he said he accepted.
The French foreign minister met with opposition leader Tzipi Livni earlier in the day. He told her that, "The coming days are a test for the Israeli government."
Meanwhile, the European Union on Wednesday joined the chorus of international criticism of the Israeli plan to build in East Jerusalem, saying the move hampered talks over the establishment of a Palestinian state.
"The Presidency recalls that settlement activities, house demolitions and evictions in East Jerusalem are illegal under international law," the Swedish Presidency of the EU said in a statement.
"Such activities also prejudge the outcome of final status negotiations and threaten the viability of a two-state solution."
On Monday, the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee authorized the Gilo construction, prompting an expression of "dismay" from the White House.
The plan, known as the "Western Slopes of Gilo" project, is the first stage of a much broader expansion of the southern Jerusalem neighborhood. The current expansion is in the direction of the Malha neighborhood. The full plan, which is already included in Jerusalem's master plan, will also expand the neighborhood southward.
In addition, plans exist for major construction in the area between Gilo and Har Homa and around the neighborhood of Givat Hamatos.
Overall, plans are in various stages of approval for 4,000 housing units in Gilo and its environs. All of these units would be over the Green Line.
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FM Avigdor Lieberman and French FM Bernard Kouchner in Jerusalem on Wednesday. |
| Photo by: (Daniel Bar-On) |
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Your comment treats the west bank and Jerusalem as being the same. But under the 1947 plans Jerusalem was meant to be an international city, so Israel has good a claim to Jerusalem as any future state of Palestine (which has not so far existed).
The chutzpa is expected but never fails to entertain--China, that has engaged in massive colonization in the classical sense within Tibet, settling large numbers of Han Chinese in a systematic (and successful) effort to change the ethnic balance of a conquered territory based on ancient historical claims, is dismayed by Gilo.
dignity of parents,no economic freedom and economic deprivation,no water rights for farmers,inferior and dangerous food exports, annexation of Tibet including the destruction of the Tibetan culture and people,no freedom of press,speech, religion,killing of ughiurs moslem chinese population, destruction of individuality not to mention Tiwan.As an economic power China sets human rights low a lack of protection for the hopeless and helpless of the world
Not sure one can use that against China as an excuse for what Israel is doing in Palestine. Palestine was never awarded to modern Israel in 1948, it is an independent territory in which the State of Israel has no legal rights. Tibet's status is not so clear-cut. For the last 350 years, it has been subordinate to the Chinese Empire and therefore part of China's legally-recognised territory. Israel's occupation has accordingly been condemned by successive UN resolutions. There is no such resolution calling on China to vacate Tibet, because it cannot be argued that it is occupying its own legally-held territory. There is one similarity between the two oppressed territories. As the Irish UN rep put it: 'How many benches would be empty here in this hall if it had always been agreed that when a small nation or a small people fell into the grip of a major Power, no one could ever raise their case here; that once they were a subject nation, they must always remain a subject nation?'
Israel will STILL BE BUILDING. Butt out, Obama ! WE don't fear you. We don't respect you and we certainly don't intend to comply with your wishes. Go have a face to face talk with Iran or find some other ways to spend the U.S. in to bankrupcy and destroy the U.S. currency. You are , at least, doing a good job at that. Perhaps you should hire someone to help you make up your mind? You will not change Israel's mind !
Vladek, this is the old "good savage" theory. The amount of land taken to the Palestinians is minute, the greediness of Israeli is such that they gave the whole of Sinai back to Egypt. So apart from your Guevarian rethoric there is no greed from Israel. By the way, remember, 20% of the population in Israel is Arabic, maybe you would be kind enough to remind us what is left of the Egyptian, Lybian or Syrian Jewish community ?
The kettle calling the pot black-what a laugh.
examples are all about minorities WITHIN the state's legal boundaries. The state has lawful responsibilities there, even if we detest the way they enforce them in some cases and send the ringleaders off to the ICC. Israel's actions in the West Bank involve a territory and people OUTWITH its legal boundaries, where it has no sovereign rights at all and is not entitled to settle its own people there. Russia too could claim the same status as an occupying military power in South Osseita and Abkhazia. On their side, at least the legally-constituted civil authorities in these autonomous territories invited them in and they are not stealing land to build Russian settlements. So not quite the Israel-Palestine template then. Any more good examples Vic? The world is currently on the page headed 'Israeli occupation of Palestine', it is a good enough place to start to correct international injustices, no?
even when an Israeli would build a house in China, then still Pals would call that an outrage and say it is a settlement.This is Palestinianism: a mental affliction.
china about its invasion of tibet and influx of native chinese . russia about its invasion of chechyna and georgia. sudan about darfur spain about the basques turkey about the kurds !! its would fill 1000 pages going around the world .
You are correct indeed, this is an issue between Palestinians and Israelis.. so why are you only up the French's through, conveniently disregarding the opinion of the US and the EU. The free and united Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, nothing is going to change that. Basta con los chistes!
US, UN, EU and Russia.
The question is not about demographics, but whether Gilo is on occupied Palestinian land (or "annexed" as you guys insist on calling it). The answer is yes, and the construction is illegal, provocative and immoral.
Kouchner's half Jewish after all and has been consistently pro-Israel except when even he had to admit that Israel isn't interested in peace anymore.
gilo is situated in south jerusalem, not east jerusalem. that is a big difference, since east jerusalem is the densely populated arab section of the city, while south jerusalem has large jewish neighborhoods. Building in east jerusalem is something of a provocation, but south jerusalem is a whole different demographic situation.
When did the French become a party to the negotiations? Isn't this between Palestinians and the Israelis?
Israeli settlements built on Palestinian land are an erosion of the Palestinian state. That is why they have been built, and that is why Israel continues. They are an attack on Palestinians and are a barrier to peace. Rhetoric cannot change the fact that settlements have reduced the land as well as water available to Palestinians. This conflict is not about religion, genetic heritage or any other physical or mental characteristic. It is about a powerful nation stripping away the livelihood of a weak people. The core issue is greed, and peace cannot come unless that greed is suppressed.
Is the French F.M. really that stupid saying this won't affect peace talks? No settlement freeze no peace talks isn't that a Palestinian demand? There will be no peace in this region and I fear it may get uglier. Pity the innocents on both sides caught in the crossfire.
At the same time kouchner has been undermining peace, his boss Sarkozy has been undermining US arms sales to Saudi.
and get back to the negotiations. Would be the wise thing to do.
Kouchner may think the Netanyahu government would negotiate in good faith. But the Palestinians see the LIE of the Roadmap promises Israel's gov made to the US, the Palestinians and the international community and they are having trouble believing Netanyahu if he said the sun rises daily or in the east. Netanyahu has zero credibility. NONE NADA
just come to the table and sign a deal. Take responsibility instead of being the world's perpetual victim.
It is the Palestinians fault Israel is now taking a hard line. Before when they were doing it and expecting talks to move forward even while they rain down rockets on Israeli territory you didn't hear any outrage. This is the price for their poor leadership, indecision, and the fact they have two competing governments.