Settlers defy peace talks with new construction across West Bank
Yesha council says settlers will start building in at least 80 settlements, breaking a government freeze that ends on September 26.
By Reuters Tags: Israel news Israel settlers West Middle East peaceHours before peace talks were set to begin in Washington, Jewish settlers defiantly announced plans on Thursday to launch new construction in their West Bank enclaves in a test of strength with Palestinian Islamists.
Naftali Bennett, director of the settlers' Yesha council, said settlers would begin building homes and public structures in at least 80 settlements, breaking a partial government freeze on building that ends on September 26.
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Settlers rebuilding the Migron outpost in the West Bank after it was demolished by the IDF, April 27, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
"The idea is that de facto it (the freeze) is over," Bennett said, criticizing the U.S.-sponsored Israeli-Palestinian talks as aiming for a "phony peace" and rejecting Palestinian demands for a halt to settlement building on land they want for a state.
"Once they understand Israelis are here to stay and only growing stronger day by day, they will give up," Bennett said.
The settlers, who have threatened to depose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he does not let them resume building after September 26, ended the freeze unilaterally on Wednesday, the day after gunmen killed four settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Pro-settler parties are a majority in Netanyahu's right-wing coalition and a number of cabinet ministers have already backed demands to resume settlement construction.
Earth-moving vehicles and cement mixers went to work in several settlements on Wednesday, breaking ground for homes and community centers.
Bennett said settlers had decided to double the number of building starts after news that two Israelis had been wounded in a separate West Bank shooting on Wednesday evening. The Islamist Palestinian group Hamas claimed both attacks.
"The real test between the Palestinians' radical Islam and Israel is the on-the-ground test of who is stronger and who is here to stay," Bennett said.
"Once they (Palestinians) understand Israel is here to stay and only growing stronger day by day, they will give up ..."
Many settlers oppose the two-state solution backed by the United States and see the West Bank, captured by Israel from Jordan during the Six Day War in 1967, as Israel's biblical birthright.
Settlement building is a key issue in negotiations starting in Washington later in the day between Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, their first direct talks in nearly two years.
Palestinians have demanded a complete halt to expansion of these enclaves, where about 500,000 Israelis live and which the World Court regards as illegal.
Settlers had been lobbying Netanyahu before the Hamas shootings against extending the partial building freeze in the West Bank, imposed by Netanyahu a year ago as part of the drive to resume direct talks with Abbas.
Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party told Reuters this week an extension of the settlement building freeze might make the Israeli government fall apart and lead to new elections.
But some analysts in Israel say Tuesday's West Bank attack by Hamas has put Netanyahu in a stronger position to press the Palestinians to improve security before he yields any ground on settlements.
Bennett said he hoped Netanyahu would approve construction of at least 3,000 new homes for West Bank settlers in the coming year.
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It is hard to believe that Mitchell and the rest of the experts at State didn't anticipate the reactions by various parties, and plan for contingincies. Maybe they have. Maybe they are waiting for when the extremists really get out of control.
And they are now back in France. So to with the zionist colonists who are out to steal land and wreck terror against an indigenous population. Here to stay, build, the fact is they are constructing hugh ghettoes and they certainly will not be permanent. This ilk will simply have to be repatriated to their home country, Israel, or become refugees, but their presence as dominatorers in palestine cannot be tolerated.
Can anyone conceive of these settlers giving up their homes and withdrawing across the border into Israel as a result of a peace agreement? It will never happen. They will fight and Israel knows they will fight and that's why there will be no peace agreement. This is not the last word though. it only shows that there will be no peace that will result from talk. The bad news for Israel is that one medium sized nuke will be the end of Israel. If the 1967 borders were in place, such a nuke would also impact on the Arab areas. Under the current living arrangements, it is only a matter of time.
Even given these people's point of view that this is Jewish land, that does not mean that the government which exercises authority and dominion over this land must be Israel of even Jewish. Let them live there if they choose and if this land eventually winds up in Palestine they'll become Palestinians., Palestinian Jews. Israel has Arabs. Palestine will have Jews. It's the same thing.
Those who oppose a 2 state solution include not just the settlers, but many in the government, and that is why there is ALWAYS a settlement expansion when the possibility of progress looms. The government is unlikely to stop this illegal activity (during an official freeze) and force the Palestinians to leave the talks. The world - including Israel's silent majority - watches in utter frustration. It is tragic.
Israelis have all the rights to build and build in their liberated historic homeland of Judea and Samaria-Land of Israel. The Land of Israel is GOD-GIVEN and GOD-RESTORED to Israel as a Fulfillment of GOD'S Covenant to israel. Jeremiah 31:1-17, Ezekiel 36:24-38, Ezekiel 37:21-28, Ezekiel 39:27-29, Amos 9:14-15. GOD'S Covenant to Israel is Irrevocable. Other ancient civilizations had come and disappeared into the dustbin of history. But Israel has remained to this day because of Divine Providence. Modern Israel is in their Ancient Land of Israel. The dark forces want to usurp the Land of Israel from the Jews. They do it by war, terrorism, Taqiyya (deceptions) and manipulations of other countries to do their dirty work. Israel should not succumb to them. Israel should defend every inch of the Land of Israel.
The settlers' policy is to "punish" the government every time an official action not to their liking is taken. (This policy is called "price tag", where the government must pay the price for displeasing the settlers, sometimes by having to put out fires and worry about the ARAB fields being set on fire by unhappy settlers). We are not dealing with individuals' lawlessness, but with an organized one. In the present case, the Yesha council announces an end to the State-ordered "building freeze", and it happens. Members of this council, and the council itself, can be fined. But an even stronger message can be delivered to the lawless. The government should extend the construction freeze by ONE month. This has nothing to do with ideology, but only with law and order. A good warning to the settlers to cease and desist, or they will pay dearly. Note that one form or another of extending the freeze is necessary, and such a step will bring an immediate diplomatic benefit.
...that he will be unable to deliver on any agreements that he makes. Would it be uncharitable of me to raise the same question regarding Mr. Netanyahu--all things considered?
END THE OCCUPATION - ARABS OUT!
Time and again, whenever Peace talks are resumed, more confrontation ensues. The fear of peace is tangible. We - all of us, on all sides, politicians, citizens, parents and educators, those who believe in human kind and in G-d - need to be careful and not allow anger, blame, and fear to sabotage a promise of a better future for our children.
All the best, Israel. Grow strong and don't fear.
Put your fingers in your ear holes... and start signing loud LALALALALALALALALALA.... You see? It is so easy to solve problems... ignore them!
Thank G-d these settlers are willing to do what their government has not been willing to do, keep the biblical land assigned to Israel. The Pals would wish to make Judea Jew free. Prayers for your continued success in building and declaring historical Israel as your home. Mazel Tov. Keep building Israel's future.
I believe the Palestinian authority & Hamas, which recently gave the “Shield of Resolution & Giving” to honor the mother of the Aby Hamid brothers( four of have been sentenced for life in prison for terrorism) reported by the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida & the murderers of four Israel recently & the imprisonment of soldier Shalit defy the peace process. Perhaps the media should put the blame for lack of peace where it belongs, on the Arab thugs who refuse to recognize the right to exist of the Jewish nation.
the settlers build, Hamas commits murders.
Hamas and the settlers in an unholy alliance don't want peace and aim to sabotage any reconciliation. They should not prevail.
Feel nice and macho now Yesha Council? Kinda like you're in some real actual Western movie? Yeah! Isn't it fun pretending!
and that they can walk on water ! I love miracles especially about Maria and Baby Jesus, also the stories about Them, that are not in the Bible. I hope to come to Israel one day. Shalom and Peace.
These settlers need automatic weapons and plenty of ammunition, grenades, mortars, RPGs. They should be armed to the teeth. Hamas is , and they are at the mercy of Hamas Barak is too big a coward to defend them. Let more settlers come by the hundreds of thousands and cover the land with building like leaves in a forest ! Zionism will endure, prosper and expand.
BUILD BABY BUILD!!
Israels is showing its true face, not a pretty picture
Israel has showed its face for a very long time. Settlers are behaving like crazy and not better than Hamas at all.
Palestinians showed their true face too. 4 dead, 2 others injured in 2 separate terrorist attacks. Its a sick world when building a kindergarten is considered worse than murder of innocents. You should be ashamed of yourself.
They are Not the true face of Israel, merely a group of radicals who oppose the peace talks. Israel is a true democracy. By claiming they are a majority you are playing into their hands.
when did settler activity become official israel policy?
Too bad your side specializes in terror, murder and kidnapping Israeli soldiers and has a rocket for ever occasion. As for the Settlers 'BUILD BABY BUILD"!!!!!!!!!!!! It pisses off the illegal residents of Israel, the pals.
Just so you know and because you asked.
The world is watching. Israel must stop the settlers now.
Their doing G-ds work while Hamas blows people up again.
r u want to talk to us that the construction in the illegal settlers have been freezed any time ago. i believe that israel leadership dont want to have really peace with palestinian the only solution take palestinian there right now not tomorro
otherwise they wont have much of a state left
When we left Gaza unconditionally, the only thanks we got were terrorist attacks and barrages of rockets. Instead of building a sustainable economy, Hamas destroyed all the agricultural infrastructure we left there. Suppose we left Judea and Samaria tomorrow, who would guarantee that the same does not happen? Abu Mazen or Haniyeh?
when peace is again on the agenda. it's sad to consider that ultimately, peace must be enforced violently by the peace-seekers on the war mongers
You are right, in complete agreement the settlers and Hamas are torpedooing the peace talks. We all knew it would happen, now it is happening. Let me repeat the most correct assesment of the ME conflict: There is a war going on between the moderate majority and the extremist minority. The past 100 years the extremists from borth sides were on the winning hand, the moderates had to lick their wounds, bury their dead, resettle after expulsions, rebuild their destroyed houses. As long as the moderate don't integrate this asseement in their talks, peace or justice will not exist for anybody.
houses can be destroyed, not lives. it is easy to rectify the settlers' wrong, not so to rectify the terrorists' wrong. your suggestion that there is moral equivalency between someone who kills 4 ppl at point blank and someone who builds a house (even if you consider the land its own illegally acquired) is ridiculous,
The settlers are integral part of the occupying force, they are not civilians. They volunteered to take part in the occupation by stealing land, nobody shoved them in the foreign, occupied territory.