UN chief: Israel's occupation is 'morally, politically unsustainable'
Ban Ki-moon calls on Israel and the Palestinian Authority to take advantage of this 'crucial time' to move peace talks forward and realize the two-state solution.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news UN Middle East peace PalestiniansUnited Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel Wednesday to halt settlement building in the West Bank and put a stop to all forms of violence and incitement, the UN News Center reported.
Speaking in Uruguay at the UN Latin American and Caribbean Meeting in support of Middle East peace Ban said it was a "crucial time" for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
 |
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon |
| Photo by: AP |
“Time is of the essence in realizing the two-State solution, " Ban said, "the occupation that started in 1967 is morally and politically unsustainable, and must end. The Palestinians have a legitimate right to the establishment of an independent and viable State of their own."
“The target dates for reaching an Israeli-Palestinian agreement on permanent status issues and completing the Palestinian Authority’s two-year State-building program are fast-approaching. Yet, the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations remain at a worrying standstill. We must intensify efforts to break the deadlock,” he added.
Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians hit a standstill in September after Israel resumed building in the West Bank following a moratorium on settlement building.
The secretary general continued, saying “actions that prejudge the outcome of the process must stop,” referring to Israel's continued settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem , demolition of Palestinian homes and other forms of violence and incitement.
Ban then commended the Palestinian Authority for its efforts, the UN News center report said, praising the PA's efforts to establish state institutions, enforce security in the West Bank and receive international funding and recognition of its statehood goals.
The UN chief chastised Israel, the report said, calling on the government to take the necessary steps to improve economic and security conditions for Palestinians by removing obstacles to freedom of movement, stopping military operations and enhancing the PA's scope of influence in the West Bank.
Ban also implored Israel to further ease its blockade in Gaza, the report said, which has been under Hamas control since 2007. Israel has refused to negotiate with Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction and is responsible for numerous attacks perpetrated against Israel and its civilians.
In recent weeks, Hamas and the more moderate West Bank-based Fatah have been engaging in preliminary talks, with the possibility of unification in the future. Israel has made it clear that in the event that Fatah and Hamas join forces, Israel will not be open to negotiations, and Fatah must choose its ally.
Ban reportedly condemned the recent escalation in rocket fire from Gaza to Israel, calling on both sides to prevent civilian casualties and act in conformity with international law, reiterating his “strong condemnation” of the recent bombing in Jerusalem, in which a 59-year-old British tourist was killed and over 30 wounded.
He stressed that "Israel has the right to live in peace and security within internationally recognized and secure borders." According to the report the secretary general then said that both Palestinians and Israelis are entitled to Jerusalem as its capital, with "arrangements for holy sites acceptable for all."
The UN chief also said there "must be a just and agreed solution to the prolonged plight of the Palestinian refugees," an issue that has been highly disputed in past peace negotiations.
The two-day meeting in Uruguay will discuss settlement expansion, Jerusalem and the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by governments in the region, including Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, the report said.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
there is *no* god. the bible and the coran are mythologies. nobody promised that land to anybody. as long as idiots will listen to greedy preachers, there will be problem. bomb jerusalem, bomb mecca, even bomb roma, for what i care.
the situation has bean changed and israel must realize that a palestinian state is coming soon either they accept it or refuse it because israel must realize that there is no occupation on earth planet and palestinians must have their own state
We all want peace. But the issue is not the West Bank (and Israels willingness to withdraw from it). On the contrary its the reluctance on the part of the Arabs to accept our presence in the middle east. If the Palestinians (like Sadat) were to make clear that they would end this conflict in return for their own state. Israel would accept. The only problem is that they cant and probably never will.
Accepting Israels presence was offered and turned down a number of times. Your argument is null and void. Blame the other side so you can continue land grabbing. It's worked for the past 43 years, why stop now?
What is the reason for building on land outside the national borders?
The land belongs to Israel. This is really simple: It's all Israel and it's all for the Jews!
You make it simple! Only, that kind of opinion is just what the majority of the rest of the world think of the Israeli people -"
what a joke!
How do you all know that Jews living there won't accept Palestinian citizenship and government?Gadhafi said?
yet i was rather unnerved to see his jingoistic writings the other day.he was filled with pride that europe went to war and sustained warfare against libya without american help. of course that is nonsense.america was the leader in this attack and without america there woul dhave been no war against libya.
the violent missionaries of europe travel overseas and kill maim and destroy those who are unable to fight back.all this done in pursuit of their own ends. syria you may have noticed has fired at and killed civilians.no accidental damage but straightforward state murder.yet they are not even told off. no fly zone?perish the thought.
However, only the "ease the Gaza blockade" and the "just solution for refugees" are worrysome. The first, because it is crucial to assist Gazans, but without anabling iran's proxy to strengthen. The second, because there is no just solution. All the solutions are injust, either to Palestinians or to Israelis. The solution can be pragmatic and symbollic, and must have two key elements: Return to the emerging Palestinian state in the West Bank, and economic aid by all parties and the international communities, including the Arab states which have held them in limbo as pawns of their policies against Israel these 64 years.
what i took from there is that while they are a delightful people they simply have no empathy for outsiders.they do not understand the concept of feeling sympathy for african disasters or why they should travel thousands of miles to haiti to help. they are not bad just different.or more importantly indifferent to world affairs.
it is kept in place so that the violent missionaries of the west can have legal cover to wage war for their mission of force feeding their philosophy of democracy to poverty stricken third world peoples. "either sign up to democracy or we will pulverise you with stand off munitions" they are told.
that is enough to tell us that this corrupt and tainted organisation should be closed forthwith and the korean sent home to wonder about the human rights in his northern neighbour.a land of desolation and famine.
It may be the "occupation" and "colonialism" to non-Jews. It is the biblical homeland for Jews. For an acceptable peace agreement many Jews would sacrifice part of it. The non-Jews are again trying to put Jewish backs to the wall. This time Jews will defend themselves.
In this World of Ours, sadly, there is no call Abu Mazen to the meeting; Slide the Palestinian flag across the table, and tell him; 'Run along Abu Mazen, now you have a sovereign state, call us if you run into any problems' They need the rule of law, they need a constitution, they need taxation How are Gaza and The West Bank going to be connected? 'We hate you, we reject your way of life, we support the concept of killing you off indiscriminately, we won't obey any of your laws, and it is religiously impossible for us to pay any of your taxes, but by the way, we're going to rely on your traffic infrastructure for transportation' Also, if you genuinely believe that the inhabitants of first century Biblical Israel were calling the place Palestine, I have bad news for you; In first century Israel, the people spoke two languages; Aramaic and Latin 'Palestine' is a Modern English word It's a colloquialism
"In first century Israel, the people spoke two languages; Aramaic and Latin 'Palestine' is a Modern English word It's a colloquialism" -- Palaestina is latin, and not knowing this fits snugly into the rest of your rant.
unless of course the ancient hebrews spoke the queen's english. As for Palestine - the greeks had a word for it too.
Philistines were a real people, which came originally from the Greek isles and settled the coastal plains of today's Israel up to southern Lebanon. They have absolutely nothing to do with Arabs who call themselves today Palestinians. But this discussion has no importance regarding the human situation for both Israelis and Palestinians. A two state solution is possible if there is good will by both sides. There isn't enough, and Gaza is Iran's proxy, an intractable terrorist failed state. with 1.5 million Palestinians living miserably under Hamas rule.
Occupied land is what china is doing in Tibet and the USA in America. The 1967 war was the final solution for the Arabs- they lost, yet the Jews did not liquidate the Arabs. Reversed the Jews would have been liquidated. How sad our politicians lack the backbone to say this. Time to quit the UN and get of the crack cocaine addiction of high priced hand outs from America.
China occupies Tibet, the USA all native lands. The 1967 war was to liquidate the Jews in Palestine. The Jews won, yet they did not liquidate the Arabs. Let's face it, the UN is moving rapidly now to a Final Solution
Peace is NOT on the way. With Jerusalem: while there is the so-called E/Jerusalem and the Pals live in it, and want it to be their Capital, I don't see it eventuating POLITICALLY. Something keeps on bothering me ... and I am of the belief that Jerusalem will never be a shared Capital no matter how events and circumstance makes us to think that it will happen. I'm crossing my fingers!
today the world is coming together no matter who you are we have face the fact and reality
by oil. Korea needs it .
the occupation was forced upon Israel by 3 Arab states attacking it and then refusing to talk peace; note that when Egypt offered peace the occupation of Sinai ceased. The occupation is morally justified. The settlements are another issue. They have no necessity or moral justification and only undermine Israel's position in the world. Failing to see the distinction between occupation and settlements shows the intellectual vacuum at the top as well as the heart of the UN.
I didn't hear him peep in response to terrorist attacks in Israel. I didn't hear him yell when Christians in Nigeria were being massacred. this guys is a puppet.... and the UN is a platform for the next leap in his and his son's career.
For any realistic hope of a long term goal of peace, then a 2 state solution based on fair and justly negotiated '67 borders with removal of the settlements (at least the majority of them) is the only viable option! You cannot just throw people off land they have been living on for generations. Its immoral, repugnant and anywhere else in the world would be classified as ethnic cleansing!
I guess then you support the Brit take over of the Irish Isles and are against the continuing independence of the republic of Ireland. Same deal in Israel. Jews were taken over by the Muslim's in 630. I just took us more time to recover.
If two states must happen in Israel for there to be peace, why are there not two states in your part of the world: England and Ireland. Throw the English out of Ireland, then talk to Israel about how to handle their problems, Hypocrit!
Who has been living where for generations is considerably open to interpretation. The Turkish tax records and subsequent British tax records are the best sources available for an objective study.
Your analogy doesnt hold true! Read your History! Ireland was colonised by a foreign invading power who had no historical link to Ireland at all. A very different situation to yours. Most Palestinians were in what is Israel when Islam came to that part of the world. Whose to say that many of todays Muslim and Christian Palestinians were not Jewish converts when Christianity and Islam came? Do they have any less claim then those who are Jewish today?
I do not see ant problrms to form Pal State. Pal Authority has already certain controled land. They can claim this land as a state etc. However, if PA wants to get E. Jerusalem and other land which are mow under control of Jews, it is unrealistuc. Pals must do what is rational now, otherwise they lose all chances to have own State, Gaza can be seen as a small independent 1.5 million population state
I agree with your post, except for the last sentence: "Gaza can be seen as a small independent 1.5 million population state " Gaza is an Iranian proxy, a terrorist, sharia-imposing, failed state who doesn't care for its inhabitants, and an intractable problem for both Israelis and Palestinians.
In ten years maybe most of Israels population will be people with palestinian background. i hope that this matter will solve itself.
wow, this is stop anti-israel it's not even funny, how do you justify condeming israel for conducting a blocade of a port to try to diminish the number of rockets that it's sworn enemy launches into it on an almost daily basis, why isn't the un stepping in and condeming palestine for the unprovoked attacks against another sovern nation?
By the end of this day he will be an anti-semite, jew hater, hypocrite and every possible disgusting description that pro-ccupation Jews/Israelis can muster. Did disagreeing with South African Apartheid make the world anti-white? Israel can occupy if they wish, but there are laws governing occupation(4th Geneva Convention), and Israel has abided by none of them.
Arabs illegally occupied Jewish land for thousands of years, and in 1948 they illegally occupied Judea and Samaria. Everyone should contact their US senator and demand that they force Obama to publicly state that he will forever veto any UN resolution declaring a PLO state.
I really wonder what knowledge has Mr. Ban KI-moon about the conflict between Israel and the (Palestinians) First I would like to emphasize that Jerusalem is not occupied. It was united under the deceleration in 1948. It was occupier by Jordan until 1967. It is simply back where is supposed to be. Second, the big majority of so called Palestinians are originating from the Arab country's. When Mr Ban Ki- Moon will understand that the so called (Palestinians) are actually not palestenians. But obviously he does not care about it. He only cares, that Israel will have another terrorist group on his borders. Well done Mr Ban Ki-Moon.
I thought they had lost the ability to speak after the deafening silence after the Fogel murders
Surely, it was a tragic what happened to this Family. Have you noticed, that UN had reacted every time when there have been killed families in the Middle-East ? Why this tragedy should be a special case ?
Consequences for attacking the Jewish State in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, 2001 and 2006 still have not been demanded from the Arabs. Why? Both the actions of the Arabs and of the UN for not demanding that a price be paid is the moral bottom of the barrel. Israel's absolute requirement for land buffers to protect itself came after continued attacks from the Arabs. Why is this so hard to understand? Look at the 1947 UN Partition Plan. The Arabs rejected this. They still need to pay a heavy price for this rejection. The UN is morally bankrupt.
Yes, we will make the Arabs pay a heavy price for their repeated attacks against us: We will keep settling the land, until there is no place left for a Palestinian state, and the Palestinians start demanding equal rights as Israelis, and obtain them South Africa-style, in an unavoidable binational state, extending from the sea to the river. Only then will the Arabs, hopefully, understand how mistaken they have been all these years.
Poor poor little tiny Jewish state, forced, against its own will, just to protect itself, to keep occupying a foreign stateless population, against the stance of all the rest of the world. See how well this policy has been fruitfull all these last years: All the civilized countries, which once were admiring us, are now shaming and rebuking us - and a terrorist fanatical group whose name, up to 1988, no one had heard, is now in full control of an Islamist enclave we are incapable to live with, nor defeat. We who 43 years ago knew so well how to crush three foreign armies, in six days. "O My people! Your leaders lead you astray, and the way of your paths they have destroyed." Yeshayahu- Isaiah - Chapter 3:12
The UN should place troops on the Isreali/ Palestine border to protect Israel from terrorists attacks. The UN should have the authority and the will to restrain and to punish terrorist attacks against Israel. Without this component, any peace deal is a joke.
Unfortunately, given Ban KI Moon's stupidity and the silly precedent set by the action in Libya, the UN is much more likely to bomb Israel next time it tries to rid itself of Hamas or Hezbollah.
But the oill may disapear for a long time.
The Un will not bomb Israel or Hamas as long there are not too many civilians killed . Remember Lebanon war 2006? It was forced to stop by UN just because too many civilian victims - killed, wounded, loosing their homes,obliged to leave the country...
The UN's blue helmets have never, ever, been able or willing to protect Israelis from Arab terrorism, stationed in any armistice line or border. They are completely useless. The separation barrier, cruel and ugly as it is, does work.
north koreans have enslaved twenty million of their fellows and there is famine in the land.and bank i moon finds time to discuss housing in ariel and kiryat sefer
The settlers won't like that won't like that at all. The occupation is a cancer wating away at Israel's moral core, unfotunately until the normal decent Israelis realise this and voice their oppostion against it in sufficient numbers the settlers and religious whackjobs will continue it. Using ever desperate means to maintian it, I fear a genocide, as the Palestinian people refuse to disappear
Ditto for the faux human rightists who trawl here
Ditto for the faux human rightists who trawl here
They never stopped. They just didn't want to accept the establishment of Israel 65 years ago. So please don't twist things around. Factos: 1919 First Palestinian National Congress meeting in Jerusalem sends two memoranda to Versailles rejecting Balfour Declaration and demanding independence. Fact: Churchill - British White Paper 1922; Phrases have been used such as that Palestine is to become "as Jewish as England is English." i.e. threat of ethnic cleansing.
They never stopped. They just didn't want to accept the establishment of Israel 65 years ago. So please don't twist things around. Factos: 1919 First Palestinian National Congress meeting in Jerusalem sends two memoranda to Versailles rejecting Balfour Declaration and demanding independence. Fact: Churchill - British White Paper 1922; Phrases have been used such as that Palestine is to become "as Jewish as England is English." i.e. threat of ethnic cleansing.
Huh----apologist and hasbarrow man.
and bank i moon is worried about israeli housing in judea.is that at all believable?
It is better from every respect to focus on improving the civil and political rights of the palestinians inside a single state which includes the pre- and post-67 borders. So long as the US insists on arming Israel to the teeth with every conceivable form of weapon, there is absolutely no chance for a peaceful settlement. Either stop arming Israel, or start improving the rights of the palestinians.
if someone would read it for him he would arab palestine is already established in jordan
Move the UN to Somalia.
The Palesttinians have reached the end of their tether. Etiher give us what we propose or forget it. We will go our own way without any "assistance" from Israel thanks all the same!
Why is it so hard for some Israelis to accept that legitimate criticism of certain aspects of their nation does not amount to antisemitism. Mr. Moon and most of the world accept that Israel isn't the worst place in the world, North Korea or Iran probably takes the biscuit, but at the end of the day Israel isn't helping its own cause with settlements and prejudicial laws. Also the difference between this sort of thing happening in China, Iran or elsewhere, is that Israel purports to be a Democracy
Yeah right
then it is anti-semitism.
as we all know the US owns and runs the UN, and does whats in its best interest and not what is in the best interest of the world. if a 3rd intifada occurs, it will not be limited to the borders of palestine and the arab world. this time it will be all over the world. theres a big chance of hell breaking loose this year if this hypocritical policy persists. if syria occupies part of israel ban ki moon wouldnt say 'morally, politically unsustainable' he and the rest of the UN would start bombing syria, like they did to iraq when it invaded kuwait.
UN is an acronym for 'Useless Nations".
Israel should look in the mirror.
There is no OCCUPATION. The arabs occupies halve the world. Let the Jews have this land with safe borders, that means including west-bank and east J. There will never be peace if west-bank turns in to a regular state controled by islam.
HHHHHHHHHHHH !
Eventually something must be done about Arabs living in West Bank. Since giving them full citizenship with voting rights would literally mean the end of Israel, creating a Palestinian state on parts of West Bank land seems to be the only option.
We all know the REAL reason why Israel is subjected to double standards.
There is only one country which recognises the Turkish Cypriot regime - Turkey. It is one of the reasons Turkey has not been allowed to join the EU. So before you go implying anti-semitism like all the other whiners on here try to get your facts straight.
puts aside libyan syrian yemeni killings and takes on israel.why?he must be mad.
the palestinians have the obligation to negotiate and to stop firing missiles into sovereign israeli territory. the attempt by obama and the eu to impose a settlement will lead to hugely costly wars. israel will not withdraw any of her citizens from the west bank. nor will israel build any connecting corridor between the west bank and gaza. those who think otherwise, including the obama administration, are dreaming.
have the obligation to stop their illegal settlements and return to negotiations. I find it absolutely astonishing how BLIND and DEAF Israelis can be. Do you actually believe all the nonsense that you spew out ?
It is not Israel that is dragging its feet,but the Palestinians (Abbas ) who has not joined a debate not sat down at table to negotiate..Isn't it the norm by the corrupt UN to pick ONLY on Israel and EYES TIGHT SHUT over the other countries who are in reality occupying countries without fear or favor.. Israel is not a banana republic Mr.Moon ... It a Jewish state has been for not only since its REBIRTH but for thousands of years.. More later
you read the article. The first paragraph clearly stated that illegal settlement is being build in West Bank. How do you negotiated with someone that promise to return the thing they stole from you while on the other hand they keep stealing your other belonging?
the lands of their forefathers?hundreds of thousands of jews now live in judea and samaria. they will not leave.nor should they.may they thrive with HIS blessings
Is there anything Ban Ki-Moon could suggest in terms of UN action to materialize his criticism? His words need a concrete follow-up.
this body, filled with the worst human rights abusers from around the world, including until two weeks ago lybia, is the most repugnant international organisation on planet earth. the fact that western countries which preach democracy to others support and belong to this organisation is morally repugnant.
there will never be peace until jesus returns to set up gods kingdom
nor does he care for the morality of the problem.it is his own self interest that is what occupies him not the nonsense "occupation" he rants about.electione are coming up and the arabs have votes.
more votes in badmouthing israel
...then there will at least be a chance for all the "morally and politically unsustainable" elements to evaporate into thin air.
nor a word about the rockets and bombing in Jerusalem. Does he have a case of the Israeli turrets syndrome? He's so slanted against Israel it's become a tragic joke, on him and the eternally violent pals. How can he also ignore the obvious and not mention a word about the growing Muslim revolutions?? There can never be peace with an enemy whose only goal is the same slaughter that this one eyed jack hole ignores as he continues his one sided anti semitic rant against the only friend of democracy and justice in the ME, Israel. I'm beginning to think he has other motives or is the mouthpiece for the Saudi's, another regime of brutality he ignores. The other hot spots in the Muslim world, he also blithely ignores. He is unqualified to make reasonable decisions, his mind is made up and nothing else matters to him. I'm thrilled that Israel ignores his mad hatter vocal regurgitations. What a pig.
Your post only shows your ignorance
Your post only shows your ignorance
What this statement can add. This conflict is extreemely obvious and tens of UN resolutions and statements were issued but nothing at all has so far been done to solve it.The settlements , Jerusalem , borders , and the refugees and the occupation it self are all hot issues , how long USA and the EU can wait to do somehting to ease the tension raised lately!!
11 or 12 ME courtiers face on-going revolutions and rebellions. How urgent or important in the history of the region is an immediate settlement of the Palestinian problem? In 2 or 3 years, the entire region could be ruled by democrats or terrorists?
What 300 million Americans know is that the UN is a colossal waste of US taxpayer money and we should stop funding it. The UN is composed of many Arab dictatorships and Muslim theocracies. It frequently serves as a forum for anti-Semitism and Israel-bashing and lends false legitimacy to scoundrels like Iranian President Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Assad while doing nothing about the massive problems in the ME like the brutal oppression of women, Kurds, Copts, Fur, and other minorities. All they can seem to focus on is the one tiny nation of Jews who aren't excited about empowering their neighbors who want to kill them. What a bad joke. Israel, do what is right; ignore the corrupt UN and the Euro-hypocrites, they would look away (again) when your enemies try to drive all Jews into the Mediterranean. You have right on your side and the unwavering support of the US. Stay strong!
then prehaps we should erase all UN resolutions as if they had never happened. That of course would include the establishment of Israel on Palestinian land.
Israel was not established "on Palestinian land". That is a myth Palestinians have fed people for the last many decades.
As long as Israel has nothing to fear, sanctions for example or US cutting financial aid, nothing will change and the settlements will gow and grow and finally reach a point where no viable Palestinian state can be established. The US vetoing the recent UN settlement resolution ( as the only country in the world ) was the worst political move ever and only encourages Israel to continue with their settlement policy.
The distorted perceptions of the Secretary General reflect anti-semitic bias regarding the peace process. The UN is trying to say Israel is partly to blame for the failure of peace negotiations to move forward. The reality is this failure is due almost entirely to the Palestinian side. And to ask the Israeli public to forget the innumerable atrocities committed by the terrorists is ridiculous. Security guarantees must be in place before peace negotiations move forward. I admit its hard to believe that anti-semitism would have such a firm grip on the UN, but it does.
Not every criticism of Israeli policy is motivated by anti-semitism. Stop using that excuse, its just a cover for not listening to any other point of view.
Will the UN place troops on the borders of a Palestinian State to guarantee Israel's security? If not, what is the UN's "moral authority" worth?
How do you make peace with a population , particularly Gaza's Hamas , who declare 'there is only one solution : Israel must not exist' ? Israel moved out of Gaza and receives rockets in exchange. Is that what the world wants to see from the West Bank ?
Netanyahu is all about staying in office. The future be damned. Not even slowing the surge of settlement building keeps him in power. Besides, all he's ever offered is no independence and no sovereignty.
Translation: "remove obstacles to suicid bombings and stop to fight against terror".
This conflict is the result of the Arabs thumbing their nose at the UN
Ban doesn't understand Propowsition 242. This proposition calls for peace treaties leading to defensable borders. The Palestinians are unwilling to meet these terms. They are the ones who are morally unsustatnable.
What resolution 242 demands regarding borders is, quote: "secure and recognized boundaries". The term "defensible" does nor appear for obvious reasons: defensible or not defensible is a category of confrontation, not of peace.
>> in which a 59-year-old British tourist was killed The tourist was a far-right evangelical Christian studying enough Hebrew to translate the Old Testament into a Pacific tribal language. Not saying I'm agreeing or disagreeing with that, just saying.
palwatch.org Shining light on the so called "Palestinian" Arabs. It's decades late but always time for Israel's sorry "leaders" to face the reality of who the "Palestinians" say they are, to have respect for their declared highest aspiration, the annihilation of Israel, & to respond appropriately, to repatriate this extremely hostile, brainwashed, genocidal, non-nation back to Jordan & Egypt. Israel's leaders have led Israel to the brink of total destruction, God forbid, because of their extreme arrogance that they could change the abiding Muslim belief in the annihilation of Israel. Israel's leaders have done everything possible to appease, support, acquiesce, offer, give away, tolerate, befriend, everything & anything except give a damn about the Israeli people & what all of this acting like the losers of all of the wars started by the Arabs has done to worsen Israel's security, including the murder & maiming of tens of thousands of innocent Israelis.
Eretz Yisroel belongs to the Jews, period. Enough of this anti-semitism in the mask of Israeli's are occupiers. The Palestinians are occupying the land which was given to the Jews by G-d. The Israeli's are very nice to let the Palestinians live here. No one else wants them.
the word is unsustainable. given the reality on the ground, israel cannot carry on with its occupation, and live in peace. had the reality been different, then maybe israel would have got away with it. israel has shut its eyes to reality and continues to dig itself into a hole. is it fair..? thats not the question.
then preach to us.
israeli soldiers have never raped palestinian women
Arab occupation of the english west bank or the Jewish Judea and Samaria is the reality and not vice versa
Why don't you deal with North Korea? Unprovoked, they sank the Cheonan and you did what? What did you do after their nuclear tests? How about their missile tests? Or, how about Iran, where there is no end of abuses and rights violations, including the seizure of political opponents and the killing of political dissidents... Then, there's this whole Nuclear thing, which YOUR chief inspector willingly turned blind eye to... Or Syria~ the home base and sanctuary of terrorist organizations infiltrating countries across the world? Or Lezbollah, which continues to make cross-border attacks, kidnapping and attempting to kidnap soldiers of a UN Member State, killed Hariri and threatened violent overthrow of Lebanon if the UN Tribunal dared to name those responsible... Why not criticize the United States and the Peace Prize winner for his unprovoked attack on Libya? The philistines have it in their "national" charters, their textbooks and with their actions (note the recent missile attacks in Israel) show a continuing desire to wipe-out Israel... What is the UN doing about these open and repeated threats to Israel, a member nation of the UN? Israel isn't the problem or the bad guy; just a scapegoat used as cover for bad policy, blatant hypocrisy and anti-Israel bias. DRS
FYI Ban Ki-moon, there is a spiritual war being fought out in the Arab-Israeli conflict and it manifests itself on the ground in ways that escapes unlearned people like you . The role of Islam and Judaism in the middle east conflict is a major part of the equation that explains why the Jews built a State in this area and not someplace like Uganda and why a Jewish State of any size here, even in just the confines of Tel Aviv, is totally unacceptable to the militant Islamists, and the "settlers" there would face the same brutal, tragic fate of the murdered family members in Itamar. Where were you and your voice in any capacity on June 4th, 1967 when the Palestinians and their militant, neighboring supporters should have been soberly warned of the high-stake risks they were undertaking in attempting to wipe out Israel instead of working for a peaceful existence like they want to disingenously claim now? The same greed, covetousness, militancy, jealousy, and revisionism that wet their appetites back then for victory still flows in their veins and will surface again and again, especially with an Israel that diminishes greatly in size and protection and takes on a further countenance of vulnerability. Where will you be if Israel is diminished as you'd like with wide, liberal policies to try and placate her sworn emenies and they brutally attack again to take advantage of the situation ... besides eating your kimchee from a safe distance and writing your next ignorant speech that chastises Israel and placates her enemies?
Look at how much the world loved Israel during the Oslo accords, and at how isolated it has become following the foolish settlement policy.
You aren't going to make as a people because of he settlers and settlements....That's the other rude awakening people must face over there... You will all be goners in the 21st century.....Dutch
Replaced by Porn, Drugs, Child prostitution, slavery, Global catastrophe. Nuclear fallout, lack of air or Liebenstraum as you might call it, tribal warfare and a thought policeman in every family checking your every move. Why would we want to stick around? My question, will a leather bound Koran buy me more time?
what israel cannot accept is the hypocisy and the mendacity surrounding israel regardless of what she does. israel seeks neither praise, nor does she accept an avalanche of ill based criticism. israel does not claim to be a light unto nations, nor does she accept the foreigners complaint that israel is not a light unto nations. israel is israel. she is unique, but she is ordinary.
For details, check out the study called "Israel's Security Needs for a Viable Peace." http://www.jcpa.org/text/security/fullstudy.pdf
i entered a long dialouge with arabs online discussing this issue i showed them the evidence that proves that the palestinian people dont exist and that palestine is a myth and that the land belongs to the jews no one understood me all of them were blind with the false propaganda i want to say to the jewish people forget about the peace the arabs are hating you more than anything else they simply dont stand you and want to destroy you completely please god ve a mercy on your chosen people bless them and protect them amen shalom
Ban-the-man's press secretary later clarified the comments, that Ban was referring to china's continuing occupation of tibet ban regretted the mistranslation, and said that his translators would be assigned to mine-clearing duty in Bosniaa, as soon as the displaced persons of THAT genocide were returned to their homes
The quicker the world wakes up to this, the better for everyone. The OneState solution is now the only solution. The world must insist on it.
Why are the sites that are historically Jewish occupied by Palestinians? What has he said about that?
The answer - life is not perfect. Let's just try and make it as good as we can for as many people as possible.
Because the Jews evicted the Arab Squatters.
The loyalty of this group of haters , is to destroy the Jews. Look at their accomplishments in the world. Sad and miserable souls.
it should therefore solve it. If Israel does not want to comply, after Libya NATO can take of Israel as well
It is not a military issue under international law. If it were, the UN would have been in Gaza already.
You have failed miserably in policing the cease-fire and preventing Hezbollah from rearming and from digging emplacements from which to launch missiles against Israel. They are placing their in fortified bunkers within schools, hospitals, homes for the handicapped, etc. Currently, it is estimated that Hezbollah has more than 40,000 advanced missiles through the complicity of Iran and Syria. Meantime the UN has done little more than serve as human shields for Hezbollah and thus prevent Israel from destroying these weapons. How would you stop Pre-1967attacks on Israel from West Bank when Jordan wouldn't or couldn't stop these murderous assaults rockets & missiles fired from Gaza that terrorize the Jewish population and make certain cities into ghost towns Hezbollah from crossing the border & killing Jewish civilians Hezbollah from using its <40,000 advanced missiles against thousands of Israeli civilians Hezbollah from violating international law and diverting waters that would normally flow to Israel Suicide bombers from strolling from downtown Jenin (as they frequently did before the separation barrier) into Israel to create carnage
And we can ignore Latin America, Russia, Europe, the ME and the AU. We can even tell America to get lost (and we have. Publicly. At length. In a manner than makes them look stupid and weak). Israel is totally self sufficient! It doesn't need to import gas or food or minerals from any of these nations, and we certainly won't miss them buying our exports! Their loss.
No land more clearly belongs to a single nation than the Land of Israel. Yet the world has gone from dispossessing us and taunting us as a supposedly cursed nation to trying to lecture us about dispossessing those who helped dispossess us. But even if one accepts the dispossession of part of the Land of Israel on behalf of the Arab colonialists, what's all this about "political sustainability"??? How can anyone in this day and age seriously look at the creation of another Arab colonialists state as a recipe for "political sustainability"? It's obvious that such a move will be profoundly destabilizing, and guarantees more wars between between the Arab Muslims and the Jews. So even if a person's moral compass is so warped as to support the dispossession of the Jews from their homeland or part of it, everyone who truly wants a politically sustainable situation should oppose the continued empowerment of Islamists like Hamas and radical (semi)secular nationalists like Fatah. Both groups are 100% dedicated to Israel's destruction, such that no solution based on drawing borders can possibly work. Wake up, World!
Ever since 1967 you were told (by friends, foes, even your own leaders) that you can't keep the whole of the West Banks - it has too many Arabs on it. But did you listen? No. You build settlements ALL OVER IT so now you can: a) keep it all, and be out voted b) become an apatite state, c) do ethnic cleansing or d) (no longer available) give it back and have two states.
Don't be naive. This is all political posturing. The PA is not legitimately concerned about building in major settlement blocs. Palileaks revealed this. Instead, the PA knows Bibi is politically incapable of pushing through a settlement freeze with his coalition partners. The demand for a settlement freeze essentially asks Bibi to choose between political suicide (freeze) or generating bad press for Israel (no freeze). Either way, the PA benefits. If the cynical and unprecedented demand for a settlement freeze were dropped, we could get this show on the road. Settlement building in Gaza continued until the last hour, and was never an obstacle to the final disengagement. BDS'ers: go ahead now, log in over and over again and give me all the "thumbs downs" you can...
without ever having peace
Why has abbas not sat down to negotiate ..BECAUSE HIS ULTERIOR MOTIVE DOES NOT ALLOW IT,.And the MOTIVE IS? He wants all the things Israel is not going to accept..i.e RoR ,Jerusalem and the latest by (Abbas) wanting a reunion with Hamas..With such minded persons there will never be any peace negotiations EVER..Their demands have ben the same..No change stale mate and status quo is the amswer.like it or not (for them)
Enough of their doublespeak. There needs to be a sizeable Jewish presense in the new Palestinian state, for it to be truly democratic and free. If not, its another sharia state with elections.
United Jerusalem is the Israeli capital. He should concentrate on Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, and Syria where there are human rights abuses going on and on every day. Zoning issues in Jerusalem are hardly the problem.
Libyan leader, M Gaddafi until only very recently was a member of the UN Counsel for HUMAN Rights; and Iran is on the UN Commission for Women's Rights--so there you have your answer: the UN is a travesty.
What you want is right, if others disagree with you they are wrong. What does that make you? You don't want EJ to be the capital of Palestine, you do want the entire city to be in the hands of Israel. I think that makes you not only arrogant but selfish and plenty of other rather derogatory things besides.
Cheap for the UN to condemn Israel, its looks like a Pavlov reaction. Let he speak out on all the Arabian countries where is much turmoil and human rights abuse. Shalom from Holland
which it is part, is truly morally and politically unsustainable. Just look around.
WHAT A WAST OF TIME, THEY ARE GOOD AT RUNNING WEREVER THEIR IS TROUBLE. IN THE WORLD.
May the UN rise up to the challenge and midwife the Palestinian state with EJ as its capital, 62 years late.
90% of the population is being punished. 60% is under 15 years of age. Real humanitarian you are.
mark, if you have a problem with gaza, address yourself to the terrorists that run gaza: hamas, islamic jihad, etc...
You conveniently forget that after the disengagement, the first day, the siege was on. Several months later, Hamas got elected. Several months after that, Bush and Sharon staged the failed Fatah coup that brought Hamas to complete power in Gaza. And in the interim, they drove Hamas into Iran's arms with the finances for the PA. Never seen a right winger who gave even a single iota of care for the civilians in Gaza. And never once an Israeli politician, not even for a single second.
The siege did not start the first day - the diplomatic siege started when Hamas was elected; the economic siege after Shalit was kidnapped. Why make things up - it doesn't help your credibility or your cause
"Israel has made it clear that [...] Fatah must choose its ally." If that is true, what an uncommon hypocrisy! How can Fatah choose Israel for an ally, when the israeli construction in the West Bank makes, each and every day, the establishment of a Palestinian state become a little more problematic? - "If we don't end the occupation, it would end us." (Haim Ramon, former Labor Minister of Justice, Ynet, Apr 12, 2005) - "We must have a Palestinian state in our neighborhood, or we will become a Palestinian state." (Yehoshafat Harkabi, z'al, chief of Military Intelligence 1955 to 1959, then head of ME Studies at the Hebrew U, Jerusalem.) - "To recognize error, to cut losses, to alter course, is the most repugnant option in government." (Historian Barbara Tuchman, twice winner of the Pulitzer Price, in her "March of Folly - From Troy to Vietnam", 1984)
Moon is the one who's mouthing inanities should go home and rewrite his comments. Hamas commits WAR CRIMES DAILY..Moon does not mention this most important FACT
Moon is no better than the previos ones occupying the socalled corrupt UN ..the sooner that estasblishment is demolished the better .
like this wanker has any say on the matter...Israel should ban this piece of garbage from entering our country and remove every single un building, vehicle, and staff member from our Land as well
the Arab occupation 'morally and politically unsustainable, must end' it is time for the Jordanians to go back to Jordan end the occupation now .
Tens of thousands killed all over the middle east by arab dictators and their minions, and all he has to condemn is a zoning issue in Israel.
...and must stop period? That's taking the bull by the horns and it is what people around the world are demanding from Israel today or it will lose its international support as a member state... (No need for the Secretary General to beat about the bush on this anymore as it is a coming reality) Dutch
Till they resume "all the Arab lands" as they call Israel.
It says "Emphasizing the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war" and it says "Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict". It does NOT say "borders are to be negotiated". http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/0/7D35E1F729DF491C85256EE700686136
our friend Moon has no idea about. I won't elaborate because everyone, including the Pals know, that the occupation occurred because they and their Arab allies initiated a war with a view to annihilating Israel and it was sustained because the Pals and their Arab allies were not prepared to exchange Israeli withdrawal for peace, recognition and negotiations. It became entrenched when Pals sought to use terror and violence in order to intimidate Israel to leave. Of course their are many more details, all of which is conveniently forgotten and buried by Pals, their Arab allies and many in the international community. That forgetfulness is the basis of saying that the occupation is politically unsustainable.
so your idea is to keep up the tit for tat murder for the rest of eternity is it. your decendants 1000 years in the future will not thank you.
Jewish homes in the disputed territories is legal under all agreements and previous UN decisions. The fact that the UN chief ignores this fact is a clear demonstration of UN bias against Israel. A bias that is well documented.
"Whatever"...
he is here every day of the week spitting hatred at israel.what does he gain by this vile behaviour and why would we give him a platform to shower abuse on israel? apart from hatred what does he contribute?
obvious but important - morally unsustainable, polititcally unsustainable
We can match occupation claims from the Palestinians pretty easily. Every single Arab refugee is countered by more than one Jewish refugee from Arab lands. Every single Arab that lived in Palestine is countered by a Jew that lived in the same region. We are natives of the land that were kicked out by the very same Arabs who now claim to be the victims. You want to talk morality? Let's put this conflict in the context of the past two thousand years.
That recognition was based on more then 2000 years of history!
Ban ki Moon can think before accusing Israel ..The man is only trying to appease the arabs ..Shame on him.. END
Yes, according to International Law, it is an illegal occupation.
unsustainable. must end.
Why is he calling on Israel? There was already a resolution put forth, and the USA vetoed. Ki-moon should confront the USA for their childish veto move.
Even the deaf would of got the message by now.
He is as all previous U.N. Secretaries, bending backward to please Arab- Muslim block, and his newfound allies in South America(Chavez and his happy crowd), all of this at the expense of Israel, who has no oil, and only one vote in the General assembly, he is a totally moral individual, that has the likes of Lybia, Iran, Cuba and Sudan, in the UN human rights commision, and call Israel to stop incitement, but never utters a whisper, when Hammas, Hezbolah and Iran(also the PA), call for the destruction of Israel as a Jewish State. As is common in the UN, it is the gathering place of people without moral and shame of wich, he is their Spokesman.
OOPS poor Ban ki - Moon he just lost his second term Occupation is a forbidden word ,most Israelis do not believe that there is such a thing ,They must be living on another planet ,there you have it from the mouth of the chief of the world body occupation is immoral ,illegal and must end,Israel you finally need to face reality all the years of lies are over.
Many Orthodox Jews do not receive a secular education, they just spend all day rote learning Torah, they do not understand reality.
You silly jerks just do not get it. You have become the oppressors that you despised. This is a person who grew up on the Anne Franks story. You have becomer fascists. Look inward!!!
The UN has never taken responsibility for its part in creating the Middle East problem. We will recall that the UN, the representative body of the nations of the world, created Israel a a homeland for Jews who had been tortured, displaced, enslaved and made homeless. The problem is that they didn't completely think this out. In doing this they did a disservice to Arabs who were made homeless and deprived of property without collecting any compensation. Around here, if something is taken from you by some governmental power you get Justly Compensated. It's called Eminent Domain. The UN should set up a Middle East Compensation Commission to entertain claims from those, including Jews, who lost property as a result of the UN's creation of Israel. People would present their claims and walk away with a check in exchange for a Release of Claims. That would be fair.
Direct your efforts to the Palestinians who must first recognize a Jewish Israel and make peace with israel!
Both sides have to make efforts to reach peace.
the arab peace plan recognises israel, and offers peace.... what more do you want?
What arab plan are you talking about? Its the arab plan of the hamas and palestininas that call for the destruction of Israel. Arabs are free to have Islamic arab states and they never permit Israel to be called Jewish. Why is this?, this is nothing but majority Islamic terrorism, supported by ignorants like you people.
What arab plan are you talking about? Its the arab plan of the hamas and palestininas that call for the destruction of Israel. Arabs are free to have Islamic arab states and they never permit Israel to be called Jewish. Why is this?, this is nothing but majority Islamic terrorism, supported by ignorants like you people.
What arab plan are you talking about? Its the arab plan of the hamas and palestininas that call for the destruction of Israel. Arabs are free to have Islamic arab states and they never permit Israel to be called Jewish. Why is this?, this is nothing but majority Islamic terrorism, supported by ignorants like you people.
or untouchables you should think before shaming yourself here
The UN has never taken responsibility for its part in creating the Middle East problem. We will recall that the UN, the representative body of the nations of the world, created Israel a a homeland for Jews who had been tortured, displaced, enslaved and made homeless. The problem is that they didn't completely think this out. In doing this they did a disservice to Arabs who were made homeless and deprived of property without collecting any compensation. Around here, if something is taken from you by some governmental power you get Justly Compensated. It's called Eminent Domain. The UN should set up a Middle East Compensation Commission to entertain claims from those, including Jews, who lost property as a result of the UN's creation of Israel. People would present their claims and walk away with a check in exchange for a Release of Claims. That would be fair.
With all due respect Mike, the Arabs were compensated. Land was either purchased or abandoned by Palestinians by the own accord. I would strongly urge you to read Palestine Betrayed by Efraim Karsh if you are truly interested in gaining a balanced and well researched perspective. Further, some of the land was annexed during defensive wars for which there is ample precedence throughout history.
Let me fix a few things in your statement. 1. The UN created a 'homeland for Jews who had been tortured, displaced, enslaved, and made homeless." Please add to that 'murdered.' And 'victims of industrial genocide.' 2. The Arabs had a state of their own under the UN partition plan. They refused. Forgot that? Eminent domain does not fall within the boundaries of a defensive war, does it? 3. Don't blame the UN for creating the 'middle east problem.' The middle east problem has NOTHING to do with the palestinian-Israeli conflict. These lies must end. I hope, as this Arab spring has taught us, that young men and women all over the Arab world have more pressing issues at heart, such as human rights, economic reform, and political reform. Leaders have continuously thrown these issues under the rug by pointing to the evil Zionists. B.S! Israel is here to stay. The Arabs dont understand that. They must.
AN BAN CAN GO WHISTLE..HE IS ONLY TRYING TO PACIFY THE ARAB STREET ANXIOUS TO KEEP HIS JOB..TO HINK WHEN WE HEARD HE WAS CHOSEN MEANING THE SOUTHERN KOREAN ALL WILL CHANGE...ALAS,ALACK NOTHING BUT A CONTINUATION FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE KOFE ANNAN,NUMBER TWO AND ALL THE PREVIOUS ONES A BUNCH OF ARAB APPEASERS
--"Land was abandoned or purchased- or abandoned by Palestinians of their own accord". They were driven out by massacres and fear- their homes, lands and businesses taken over by the newly formed Jewish State. Ben-Gurion diary entry Dec 19th 1947: "In each attack, a decisive blow should be struck, resulting in the destruction of homes and expulsion of the population". April 4th 1948, to MAPAI: "We shall enter the vacated homes and settle in them". JNF 1949- " The forces of history have given the JNF the opportunity of acquiring in one year as much land as it acquired in the long period of 47 years of unremitting effort...within the first ten months of the establishment of Israel 51 new villages have been established on JNF land."
It is way overdue to stop building . Yes ,Hamas are a bunch of outlaws , but Israel has to be the leader by stopping thier own outlaws , settlers !!!
This guy doesn't say that the goal of the Palestinians is to destroy Israel and that is the reason for the occupation.
if israel has to survive, it wont be because of the occupation.
Regardless of what Israel does it will always have enemies. So is it better for Israel to remove a just "cause of war", stop the shame of being an occupying power, dilute the power that the ultra-nationalists and religiious fundementalists now have in the State, be able to defend legally recognisable borders with what is said to be one of the best equpped armies in the world and win back the support of internationally important countries. Or is it best that Israel keeps on subjugating another people, becomes an international leper, panders to religious fundamentalism and its view that the Jews are entitled to the land and Palestinians should be deported or at best live under the control of Israel but as disenfranchised citizens, and bring shame on a gift that the world gave to the Jewish people after the holocaust. The WB may have been a necessary buffer state in the arftermath of the 67 war but more than 40 years later develoments in warfare has made this largely redundant. If the Arabs choose to go to war with Israel, whether Israel retains control of the WB or not, will not change things. The removal of the occupation does mean that if Israel is attacked it will have just reason for taking its armies into the WB. The international community will no longer - as they did with the war in Gaza - be able to use the excuse that Israel is an occupying power and therefore its actions are illegitimate. Also, if Israel has not wasted the opportunity to see a just peace, the WB will be demilitarized and Israel will have montoring arrangements within the new state of Palestine. Whatever Israel does, there are risks. Better it faces those risks as an ethical and moral nation rather then one which is condemned by so much of the world.
seems to be Ki-moon's one distinguishing trait. Regarding this situation though it cannot be said often enough why it is a certainty the UN will be welcoming its 193 state with '67 borders and EJ as capital come September.
Stop whining and ranting.The whole of Jerusalem belongs ONLY TO ISRAEL & it is JEWISH
DUH!!!! The world has only been saying the same thing about the occupation along... OH so sorry... I forgot... you're the chosen people. Having lived in Israel for 6 months during an extreme period of the intifada in 2001... Israel has only slid downhill since that time. Stop building where you don't belong.. your arrogance is not the same as ignorance... shame on the state of Israel!!!!
Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem are not the property of the Arabs, but of the Jewish people.
Tick - tick -tick ... clock is running down on the Israeli right wing. Threaten all you want, but the world has already decided what must happen.
No one cares what Moon says, just pathetic lib-socialists; and no one cares about them either
The Palestinian state is right across the river waiting to be moved into right now.
At least I hope I understood your inferrence
To tell the truth about Israel now days is like committing suicide.To save his ass he might change his statement
The community of nations are tired with the farce that Israel has become. Please, for the sake of all the world's peoples, put an end to this madness.
right now there are more and more Muslim antions in revolt. They aren't revolting over Israel or America rather, they are revolting under the brutal occupation of their own savage, brutal dictators. What the people want is a form of a democracy, just as we Americans and Israeli's share. Must make you sicker than ever to realize your crap wont fly. As for me, I'm loving it.
right now there are more and more Muslim antions in revolt. They aren't revolting over Israel or America rather, they are revolting under the brutal occupation of their own savage, brutal dictators. What the people want is a form of a democracy, just as we Americans and Israeli's share. Must make you sicker than ever to realize your crap wont fly. As for me, I'm loving it.
The UN, unfortunately is morally bankrupt and has nothing to say.
millions are in their graves because of what you think is a laughable matter
Don't worry about us. We'll survive!
You can't survive a day without US cash, and their patience is running out.
few months back, the UN has rejected a resolution to prevent constructions under the pressure of US. Whom does thie ban ki-moon want to fool by issuing this call? if he has guts and can take independent decisions, he must direct NATO forces towards his goal.
Secretary General ban-Ki Moon needs a history lesson and a new pair of glasses from which to view the issues with fairness and even handedness. Who is inciting whom?
Honestly I could not believe it that some one at the UN spoke the truth. The UN secretary general actually said these words? ,In all cases he will either retreat his statement or he will apologize but in either case he will not get a second term at the UN.That,s for damn sure.because as far as Israel is concerned he over stepped his limits.
Maybe he has decided to set new limits. Maybe he does not want to accept getting his hands slapped for speaking out. He has seen Gaza since the 2008-09 attacks. Maybe he wants to change the stagnant dynamics of the situation by simply taking a stand. Maybe he wants very much to see justice done.
How will it feel to literally be the only state in the region where entire classes of people have no rights and no political representation?
Try to post something less stupid.
On the contrary it is the majority Arab Islamic terrorism against minority Jews
Never heard of the oil lobby or Saudi generosity
Americans. At least 250 million pro Israel and about 10 million pro Palis, and the remainder don't care.
great, about time may be finally we see peace....
Turkish forces invaded north Cyprus in 1974 and is now illegally part of Turkey. This was an act of war and Turkey is still occupying the land of the Cypriots. But, we have not heard the UN Chief condemning Turkey and demands the withdrawal of its troops and the sovereignty of the island restored to Cyprus.This is of course a double moral standard let alone the hypocrizy of the UN Chief
The Palestinians know that Israel will never willingly seek peace. In fact, Israel has never for one minute acted as if they wanted peace. They must always be bribed or dragged to the peace table and they are always searching for an excuse to avoid peace talks. If Israel really wanted peace they would aggressively pursue it rather than aggressively avoid it. Some Israelis may say that the Palestinians are avoiding peace by insisting on a settlement freeze. If it wasn't that it would be something else. If Israel really wants peace where is the harm in a settlement freeze? In fact, it would make sense to freeze settlement construction while determining the fate of the settlements. Israel's decades long settlement expansion can be compared to a gambler on a winning streak and a gambler never quits a winning streak. With American support Israel has managed to profit by avoiding peace and together they have played the Palestinians and the world for fools for all those years. Right now the UN guy is keeping the issue before the world. This is his job, but he knows that it is hopeless. As long as America continues to support Israeli settlement expansion there will be no peace.
We know: Ireland, Sweden, The UK, Turkey, France, Cyprus, Greece, Norway, the UN, all Arab and African Nations, most Asian nations, etc and most artists and many academics are all wrong. Israel is the only moral country and is always right
That was a good one
And it's NOT being driven by anti-Semitism, so forget that ruse!
No antisemitism? Why not read what the Moslem states publish in their OFFICIAL state controlled media without a sound from the UN or the fellow travellers for that matter
No antisemitism? Why not read what the Moslem states publish in their OFFICIAL state controlled media without a sound from the UN or the fellow travellers for that matter
The UN has been singling out Israel since they became a state of their own. This is the God of the Bible's people and their promise land and the palestinians are not part of it!
He may not be driven by anti-Semitism, only ignorance. But you voice a major legal untruth. I'm sure that you are driven by anti-Semitism. And I'm not a Jew… Just an American officer very familiar with the history. When Jordan occupied the West Bank illegally there was not a peep from you or the UN.
Those of us who know anything about the UN know not to take a word Ban Ki moon says seriously. The UN is the silliest of jokes. It's only effective when it asks the US to do its bidding. Do you take it seriously?
No "occupation" then
Also negative feedback from Haaretz Talkback. Which we all agree is much more influential than the UN.
Where are the "intellectuals" who only seem to preach at Israel
They may well want to secede FROM their sovereign and set up their own state, but not a one of them are stateless. The Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza - and all the Palestinians in all the refugee camps - are all stateless. All of them. That's the essential difference.
After they finish in Libya Israel should be the next stop.
If they only wanted their own state they could have had it 65 years ago? Did they send any suicide bombers to Egypt and Jordan between 1948 and 1967
Hypocrisy.
Can't argue with logic of Ban KI- Moon, but what can you do when the Americans always use their veto to sustain the illegal occupation and settlement enterprise. If there's ever going to be any progress toward justice for the Palestinians, then there has to be a review by the General Assembly of the Security Council power of veto - at present the Americans make a mockery of the principles of the UN when they use their veto to dictate the UN agenda.
I couldn't be any more serious:If you have higher than a grade 5 education and you can't tell that the UN makes no sense and is a group of people that are uneducated, then our education system needs revisiting.
New SC - USA, EU, China, India & Brazil. Non-democracies only get observe status in the Assembly, not voting rights. Also is Israel thinks the UN is irrelevant, just give up your UN seat - I'm sure Abbas will happily have it...
the usual... bashing Israel... what else??? millions of people killed in civil wars, massacres, displaced, etc. and nothing from the UN, NATO Europe and the USA... when Israel protects itself against terrorism: everyone reacts!!! I CALL THIS ANTISEMITISM! nothing more, nothing less... the world has not changed since 1939-1945.... still so antisemite
Look - If France and Germany can make peace, and Japan and America, even Turkey and Greece, Israel should have managed it by now, especially with Abbas offering you everything you claim to want and more.
No peace process is being "stalled by the civil war now going on between Palestinians", but in your imagination only. Nothing justifies the continuation of building israeli new apartments in a territory outside israeli sovereignty. As long as there are setlements in the West Bank, there can be no end to the occupation. Not ending the occupation means "No to a Palestinian state". No Palestian state means no peace nor security to Israel.
....is the typical way you point at the unsavory deeds of others to justify your own. Oh and the "few apartments" line is laughable. Grow up and address real issues.
Theodore, in most cases the terrible things you point out above are internal cases that are alot harder to intervene in - but no excuse, you are right. However, the whole world now realises that if Israel and Palestine can work out this situation, it will have huge ramifications/ripple effect around the world and set the precedence for others to follow. The above cases are not denying a certain people their right to live in their own recognised state, in their own land, under their own government. Sort of two different arguments. But I agree with some of your comments.
you're totally right, theodore; Moon's a buffoon, always backing hellholes
Who is this Ban character and why is he even getting news time to waste. He's nothing and so is the U.N.
Remember? Balfour? and .. his? ..Declaration of 1917?
Even if Israel were to stop taking land and even give some back (which won't happen) You are all collectively guilty for crimes of Extreme Zionism. We in the west even know Israelis are behind 9/11 with our traitors in CIA. This isn't going away, and of course in the end there is also answering to GOD (almost forgot that one)
Jeez you are dumb...wow
God is on Israel´s side, dummy!
Israel, you are doing absolutely nothing but hurting peace. And as an aside, Palestinians should stop firing rockets. Something is very wrong with this picture.
We have to sacrifice with nothing demanded in return. Not going to happen. Ban must think Livni or Mertez is in power that will be prepared to allow the country to commit national suicide to placate our enemies. How J Street of him
this only prooves that j-street is a creature of anti-israel soros and his cronies. j-street is pro-hamas.
Following international law and ending an occupation deemed illegal by most of the world is a "sacrifice." How about less dead Israelis? How about normalization with the rest of the Arab and Muslim world? How about gaining a reputation worthy of the Jewish State instead of the reputation of the Stolen Land of the Zionists? Are these things worth less than some hilltops to you?
You are not sacrificing anything - the land is OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY - why is it that you people refuse to accept that you have no legal or moral entitlement to this land. You are not blameless victims of Palestinian violence - remember the Nabka, the Irgun, Ledi and Haganah terrorism and your own day settlers who treat Arabs with absolute contempt. You are commiting suicide thru your arrogant intransigence and greed for land. No wonder the world has stopped listening to Israeli propaganda.
The use of the verb "sacrifice" in this context says it all - in your mind occupation equals possession. This paints the picture of Israel as a state of thieves.
The UN, backed by the world, EU, Russia & USA is going to enforce a fair deal on both sides. The Pals will get a state, with Jerusalem as shared capital, and if Israel doesn't accept this, the SC will vote for sanctions, and this time the US will abstain.
We can only sacrifice what belongs to us. Gaza and the West Bank are not Israeli territories, they have never been, and, hopefully, never will be. We have quite enough arab citizens in Israel. No, thanks. Ending the 43-years-old occupation of a foreign stateless population would not be a "sacrifice", it would be a gift to ourselves. - "No normal society can flourish in the oppressive conditions generated by the settlement enterprise." Prof Zeev Sternhell, the Hebrew U, Jerusalem.
You always demand others sacifice for you
Returning land that is not yours, land that is stolen from Palestinians who seen their families evicted and homes demolished - is NOT sacrifice.
.. is that you you stop your aggressive politics on the WB?
You can't give up what does not belong to you. Give it back NOW.
Jews in Israel were victims of Arab terror and violence more than 20 years before the Arab world vocifurously rejected the UNGA resolution 181(ii) and declered its intent to carry out genocide against Jews; more than 20 years before any war was faught and territory was "occupied". Self-proclaimed "Palestinians" murdered innocent Jews, in Jerusalem, in Hebron and all over -- including Jews who had been living it those cities for hundreds of years previously. Arab terror and aggression whas the precursur and the reason Jews formed organizations for their defence. And that leads us to the truth about nowadays -- all the messiatic nonsense about settling Israel could, inevitably, be dismissed for a viable peace settlment. The only REAL reason Israel refuses to give up the occupied territories is that they afford the tiny State of Israel strategic depth and tactical advantage to fight off the CONSTANT efforts of its enemies WITHIN those territories to kill Israelis IN THEIR CITIES and IN THEIR HOMES. All that "morally unsustainable" babble is absolute bullocks; if you want a sustainable peace, the Palestinians and Arab sponsers must immediate cease all incitement and violence against Israel, or there can never be an Israel "safe within internationally recognized borders".