U.S.: Only Israel, Palestinians should decide Jerusalem's future

WHO IS LIVING INT HE WHITE HOUS ;;;;; ARE THESE NEW SETTLERS ;;;TELL US BARACK OBAMA ;;;WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE FAIR AND JUST POLICY ;;;;WE ELECTED YOU ;;WE THOUGHT YOU ARE HONEST;;; EVERY HOPE YOU;; RAISED ; YOU KILLED ; DAY AFTER DAY WE WISH WE NEVER HOPED;;; WE WISH ;;;BUSH DAYS COME AGAIN.AND WE ;WISH YOU GO AWAY ,

Want more influence in Jerusalem? For the last 3500 years there was a simple rule in that regard: You need to come and conquer the city! UN? I don't thinks so? Or do you think of crusaders?

Sweden a friend of Israel? Not that I know of. The Swedes regard themselves as neutral at best. Their neutrality led them in WWII to the despicable act of letting the Germans path through their territory to conquer Norway. And with respect to wars and survival. We have never relied on Europe in that matter

The annexation of the Westbank and East Jerusalem by Jordan (which destroyed all of the over 40 synagogues in the city) was only acknowledged by Britain and Pakistan, the rest of the world never did. SO, as usual, you are either misinformed or misinforming

Your joy about changing demography in Europe ("he, he") is not quite clear to me. After all, it is you who will have to give up civil liberties when living under Sharia Law. SO the joke's actually on you!

so far only isreal is doing all the deciding

Yes indeedy Jeff let's Divide Stockholm First They are living with their multitude Islamists therefore can cede a few further kilometers for them. But Jeff,did you know that the indigenous swedes cannot enter Malmo for fear of reprisals from those Islamist? They do not enter it,unless chaperoned by a mullah IF AT ALL Sweden was in cahoots with Nazi Germany. That they supplied the Germans with many necessities,which was an obstruction to the allies to do the job effectively--in a way that is.What I was not aware of:Was the that they gave sanctuary to the US draft dodgers during the Vietnam War. They conveniently try to obscure many facts,all be it for good reason i.e THEY DARE NOT OPPOSE said peoples living there,or should I say Islamists amalgamating their Sharia into the country freely and thus obliterating "christianity". None of the EU should take sides.They have sufficient problems and shout shut up,mind their own business anyway. p/s Good to see you.

You can keep ignoring the Law. But all it shows is that you condone criminal behavior.

since you are so fixated on the british mandate of palestine and the traety of 1922, i think it's only right that you be told how badly you've misinterpreted it. clearly, the reason you're so fixed on this, and the balfour declaration which was incorporated within it, is because it states that it puts into effect the declaration made in 1917, in which the allied powers had agreed "in favor of the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people"...and of course, you conveniently ignore the rest of what's said in the very same sentence; but that's not what i'm here to point out. i'm here to point out your mistaken interpretation of what is said. again vickie boy, the quote that so endears you to the mandate, with a key word capitalized for your attention: "in favor of the establishment IN palestine of a national home for the jewish people". you will note that it DOES NOT say, "in favor of the establishment OF palestine AS a national home for the jewish people". in other words vickie, it never designated ALL of palestine, only that a jewish homeland would established "within" palestine. and it was precisely the same misinterpretation as yours, widespread among zionists in palestine at the time, which lead to the clarification and amendment of goals in 1939, which is known as the "british white paper on palestine". p.s.-none of which has anything to do with the fact that the u.s. does NOT recognize the legality of ANY of israel's occupations, and is steadfastly OPPOSED to its settlement building within those occupied territories. do have a nice day, vickie.

Your belief that the Jewish State "grabbed Pal land" is quite true.But then,when a nation is the object of another's desire for destruction,it has an right of self-defense to seize disputed land occupied by the aggressor from which the aggression was launched.It is a very persuasive way of punishing the assailer, and is clearly supported by international law.Your criticism of the US being hypocritical and having double standards for standing by and supporting the Jewish State is a load of bullsh*t, which buys into anti-Israel and anti-Jewish propaganda expressed by most of Israel's Arab neighbors,near and far.

"the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying that the fate of Jerusalem should only be determined by Israel and the Palestinians in talks. " 2 things. 1 - If they did this with the rest of the world the world would be a muuuch more peaceful and fair world and 2 - If they dont want to interfere maybe they should stop giving Israel all their weapons and support.

I'm sure that the Swedes won't mind ceding a few square kilometers to their Muslim citizens to be subject to Sharia law and to the exclusion of Swedish Crown Law. I remember how Sweden supplied the Nazis with steel during WW II and gave sanctuary to U.S, draft evaders during the War in Vietnam. If Sweden wants to stay neutral, then she shouldn't take aides.

It may also be noted only the UK recognised Jordan's annexation of the West Bank. Further, in 1988 - some years in advance of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty - King Hussein renounced all Jordanian claims to the West Bank, in favour of "the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people." - the PLO. The King was always quite wary of ruling a Jordan in which the majority of the population was both Palestinian and anti-monarchic. MV

The current U.S. Sate Dept seems to believe that being like all other U.S. admins is a good thing with regards to the Israeli/Pal situation. The fact is that by looking the other way while Israel grabbed Pal land these admins have created the situation. There are a number of reasons why American credibility is in the toilet. The hypocrisy and double standards regarding Israel is near the top of the list.

"john kay in the financial times wrote that since the expulsion of jews from german universities german colleges have never been the same." Undoubtedly, whoever John Kay is, he is entitled to have his personal opinions. Though how John Kay on universities relates to this talkback, escapes me.

"During these 19 years the Westbank was part of Jordan, its inhabitants were Jordanian citizens. The Geneva convention applies only to non-citizens under foreign occupation." Not sure if this is entirely correct. We do know Israel and Jordan agreed Jordan would occupy. (armistice agreement). So the GC's applied at least until Annexation. We do know there were no UNSC resolutions calling the Jordanian annexation invalid as Jordan was forced by the other Arab states to be a trustee only, in order to comply with Laws of War Art 55 and under which '48 Palestine refugees in the W/Bank would not lose RoR. There's a bit more here on today's situation (bottom of the page) http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/jordan.html

Thing about if 70 yers ago sombody made a statment that faith of Jews should be decided by Germans and Jews.

when the other side keep on placing obstacles about, why should they participate when Israeli Government keep on eating the CAKE/(Palestinians Lands) everydayNegociations have been going on for so many years , by so many PMs and Y.Araffat, and Abu Mazen, what can they show for it? N O T H I N G.

THE PM, Netanyahu refuse to talk about the return of the CONQURED EAST JERUSALEM , as requested by the UN. So let him states this Publicly, and no doubt that the |Palestinans will go to the Negociation Table. We all know that The ANNEXATION of E.Jerusalem is ILLEGAL and not recognized by a single country in this world. Not even the uSA.

as american say: no taxation no representation and it should apply to israeli arabs too. check what % of budget they contribute - i think it is around 4% and what % of social aid they use - again i think it is around 70%. as the matter of fact jewish israelis support arab israelis and this situation is going back to at least start of the mandate. read eco corp. study of mandate economy of 1947. some future nobel laureats participated in the study. and what about arab immigration en masse during the mandate - read churchill speaches in commons.

this is true to some points, but please look at heavily jewish neighborhhods in USA (pittsburgh, la, ny etc.)and to other neighborhoods with arabs -detroit etc., blacks, latinos and you will see huge differencies, probably bigger than in jerusalem. other point, people of east jer. does not pay city taxes - a great majority as israeli arabs do not pay any taxes. why we not discuss problem from that point of view?

wrote that since the expulsion of jews from german universities german colleges have never been the same.

i didn't see anyone asking the palestinians when they divided palestine in 1948. now the zionist say they didnt accept it then, so too bad, we won all this land by force, are keeping by force. now the zionist are put in the same position almost and they arent accepting anything. no wonder no palestinian will ever recognise israel, why should they, it was given awat without their consent.

"Since Geneva was not applied during the 19 years of Jordanian occupation" During these 19 years the Westbank was part of Jordan, its inhabitants were Jordanian citizens. The Geneva convention applies only to non-citizens under foreign occupation.

There has been talk of dividing Jerusalem for decades, yet nothing really is ever done. Hence, they wanted to light a fire underneath the bottoms of Israeli and Palestinian politicians to finally resolve the status of a line.

The Palestinians want east and Israel wants ALL. Reverse the two positions and I can hear the US and Israeli lobby screaming already! The US hands off approach has given away Jerusalem long ago......PEACE EVER?

The US response is completely in line with US policy and it interests in the ME,especially with its strategic relationship with the Jewish State.You are way off base in your opinions and have much to learn about the history and politics of the ME.The Geneva Convention has little to do with the conquered territory of East Jerusalem.Since Geneva was not applied during the 19 years of Jordanian occupation,and for good reason,East Jerusalem was NOT part of a sovereign nation in 1948,its application now to Israeli presence and its incorporation into the Jewish State is simply an extrajudicial process into nonsense.I would suggest that you run-do not walk-to the university library and do some research on the subject.

As to the incomes per capita...Among the 10 richest countries there are 7 european...In the first place it is Switzerland,second Norway and thrid US. As a area -as a whole ,Europa is the richest. Anyway, it would be a big loss to Israel if Europe (EU) will decide any kind of boycotting of its bussinesses with Israel as it did as to f.e South-Africa.

Relative to the EU, as to GDP, you are correct for the moment. However, it is financially broke if you look at the ECB's borrowings from the US Treasury. There, literally, is no money. As to wealth, the US is probably higher on a per/capita basis and a total value basis. However, the EU and the US have a slightly different method of calculation GDP. The EU's is probably more honest. If you needed money, except for the City of London, you would probably go to New York.

When it is clear to Israel that, to cite but a few examples, neither Silwan, nor al-Ram, nor Maaleh Adumim, nor Gilo are Jerusalem, that they are in fact the crust of the greedy, things will become clearer. There will still be the problem of the Old City and the Temple Mount, but by the time that debate comes, the scales might have been removed from eyes that refused to see and the unvarnished truth internalized.

this is binding on the usa but continually ignored. the arab state which they agreed to in 1924 is now called jordan ! you are arguing about an illegal proposition eric !

The foundation in the Netherlands which controls IKEA was created after WW2. It was used by companies like IKEA to help protect its profits from the high level of taxation after the war. It is and has been a completely legal and well managed entity from its inception. It is solely owned/controlled by a Swedish family.

Sweden speaks with the voice of EU now. All the declarations given by the presidency of EU (now Sweden) have been decided with the majority of EU countries. As to not to buy Ikea book-shells...A good joke! EU at the moment is the first commercial and the second economic power in the world and the richest region in the world, too. So maybe not so much political power (not yet) but money talks also to Israel...

of swedish hatred and bigotry for israel and the jewish people.we are no longer surprised. there are few jews in sweden. i hope they all leave.

Problem here is if the European Union go it alone and start taking unilateral actions against Israel. Afterall elections are coming up and supproting Israel in Europe is a vote loser and not a vote winner. Changing demographics you see, we were warned we didn't listen hehehe.

it plays directly into israel's hands. without direct outside pressure, israel isn't bound to relinquish its claim on all of jerusalem, which is made apparent by its encroachment into east jerusalem, and this in turn virtually guarantees that NO peace agreement is possible. more and more, it seems that concept of unilaterally declaring statehood may end up being the best choice available to the palestinians to retain any semblence of the territory that lies within the pre-'67 borders. in general, i feel the u.s. state dept. tends to be fairly judicious in regards to this issue; however, this policy is more than just a little antiquated considering the "facts on the ground" and how they're continuing to progress. no doubt, it was formulated at a time when an equitable agreement was believed possible and when the settlements enterprise wasn't as firmly entrenched. it may still apply to large settlement blocks israel intends to keep as part of a final status agreement; but it certainly should NOT apply to territory that is considered integral to the palestinian state...and in which israel continues to entrench itself in order to deny them that territory. what's ironic here, is that what's being proposed by the eu essentially mirrors what u.s. state department policy envisions, and its objections are based solely on the premise that final status be negotiated between the parties involved. a premise that no longer provides an equitable outlook.

Google it and see.

While European foreign ministers celebrate the imminent demise of the Jewish State, we will respond to calls for boycott and blacklist by building our nation in Zion with the city of King David as our united capital. A new generation of Israelis across the political and religious spectrum have emerged unified in line with the Beitar Hymn: "proud, generous and strong." They are volunteering in record numbers for elite army units capable of defending our nation from our enemies and their cold, callous, and cruel supporters. The European demand that we return territory lost by the Arabs in their failed attempt to annihilate our people in 1967 only strengthens our conviction to maintain defensible borders.

The United States is no longer a viable entity. The collapse of the greenback will take the US down. The bottom will reduce Americans to abject poverty. The Euro will be the currency of the UN and IMF. Asia will form their own currency block, as will the Arabs. Israel will have no choice but to choose the Euro block. The Europeans will dictate Israel's future. And you can take that to the bank (in Euros).

of any contentous issue involving Israel and the Jews . Any ideas anyone?

So why can't the Europeans decide? Or the Palestinians? The fact of the matter is that Jerusalem must be negotiated between the parties but there is no one who seriously believes that any party on either side will accept anything that does not include Jerusalem whether whole or in part, which most likely if there is to be peace will have to be in part. The reality is that the true semites in this conflict are the Palestinians - the European Jews are a poor reflection of ancient Jewry.

Pals: we want East Jerusalem as a capital. Israel: No. You get what we are willing to give and nothing more. Pals: we refuse. Israel: See the Pals are against peace! The whole problem is peace is only ever going to be offered on Israel's terms, which aren't acceptable to Palistine, which means this cycle never ends.

The EU has finally found a semblance of backbone when it relates to the Middle East. Israel has already stated that they will not share Jerusalem, so the notion that negotiation was needed is nonsense. The Palestinians need EU support if there is ever going to be peace. According to the International Criminal Court ruling in 2004, East Jerusalem is "occupied Palestinian territory." Israel is not a signatory to this but most of the world is. If Israel really is a nation based on the rule of law, they should implement this ruling. Israel needs to realize that they can?t simply choose to follow some and ignore others. They are not the US.

"I'd rather have an IKEA cabinet.....than the bunch of misfits, fascists and crooks that currently constitute the Israeli cabinet." Better resale value.

Medieval standsrds went by the board when the divine right of kings to indulge in games of war was discarded after WWI. The Israeli settlers are doing their best to revive it, with the help of their government's diplomatic corps. It is as you say: "how to lose friends and make enemies."

The United States's response is not adequate. It's a high contracting party to the Geneva Convention and it has voted on resolutions that say settlement building is illegal and that Jerusalem is occupied. To simply say that Israel and the Palestinians should decide when Israel is grossly violating the Geneva Convention is expecting a state using right wing nationalism to bully its adversary and ignoring the Geneva Convention is not a proper response. However, I am not surprised. The US Government has prostituted itself to Israel. Politicians keep on having to go to AIPAC conventions and pledging how much they love Israel. I mean Strom Thurmond flew to Israel after almost suffering defeat and wore a kippa. That's why America's response makes sense. Whatever Israel thinks about what the EU has said, it's in-line with the Hague, Geneva Convention and France and England's obligations as high contracting parties. Russia has also stated. The US is a failure politically ther

It is not up to john to determine that a people in a foreign land is fit or unfit to govern themselves! Such arrogance! A tip for john: Propagandists who tell you about someone else's faults are usually telling you about their own faults. Read between the lines.

it`s just another lie again? no one stole land?

The US says that it should happen through negotiations? But these parties cant even have proper negotiations because of spoilt and arrogannt behaviour by the parties. Instead of seeing the benefits of good relations, they choose to use ideology and nationalism to make their decisions and then blame each other for failures and then resort to violence in the most horrific manner.Israel and Palestine are not worthy of being allowed to negotiate their own terms because until now they have lead to nowhere and resorted to violence instead. All the lives and money wasted on endless negotiations that have only deceived people with good intentions and caused misery on millions of people. These two brats, these two tiny little countries, should be forced into a deal. No more negotiaitions, its only a waste of time and money and innocent lives.

You are right! It is not funny! But Israel's government contiues to think it can bargain with people's lives, or their livlihood, or their homes as though these were some sort of commodity offered in the market. How much will you pay me for the land between East Jerusalem and Jericho? The openiong bid is $10 million. Who will make it $20 million? But the Palestinians are not bidding. You are right! It is not funny!

First off the Palestinians are many factions with political loyalties and command structures in often opposing and conflicting foreign sectarian governments that have no desire for the Palestinian people to ever make peace with Israel. This plays out on the ground in violent skirmishes and power struggles between the Palestinian factions, with no central command structure to coalesce authority, disrupting any one faction's attempts at peace negotiations. The PA more often than not play to the hand of these foreign based factions, fearing for credibility and also their lives. Second, the Palestinian agenda if at any point unified between the foreign Muslim controllers, is a proxy pawn strategy to enforce a bigoted view of the Middle East as belonging to only Muslim governments. Lastly, do you really know who you are negotiating with if the final decisions are determined by non-Palestinians Muslims who consider any contract with a non-Muslim non-binding.

The time has come for the US to quit fooling itself and leading the Palestinians on.

"First there were fences, then free passage, now nothing. still they are devided between 2 states." Not quite! First there were ARMIES, then fences, free passage, and now nothing. And the armies have all gone home. Israel's government might learn from this: In the end, the resident people always win, while armies retire, and settlers are, at best, treated as guests. Even though the cities are still divided politically.

This pathetic culture of childish insults is doing Israel a great deal of harm. Being beligerent towards anyone who dares to speak one of the many painful truths which Israelis do their best to ignore is only going to alienate the West even further. Israel cannot afford to lose any of its few remaining friends. Acting like sullen schoolboys and trying to score points against Sweden and the EU is both pointless and dangerous. Israel NEEDS the EU, both diplomatically and economically, but the EU doesn't need spoilt little Israel. Only one side has anything to lose from ridiculous 'Ikea' insults.

IKEA? That's so funny!

Christians who outnumber both Moslems and Jews put together, should have more rights. Maybe the UN should administer the City.

Its clear the Us govt enabling Israel is the real obstacle to peace

in the Middle East is not like buying a piece of IKEA furniture. Nor are people's lives like a bushel of wheat which can be bargained for in the local street market. Yet, Israel's government seems to think in bargaining terms as though they were. Israels' superior military is not a bargaining chip. The sooner Israel's leaders learn this, the better.

Dear Israelites. Don't believe that every EU member is against you. You have many friends in Finland. Dont give up faith. (I fight in this country to give you, Israelis, a voice.)

and britain terrorist states and not americans. if US congress serves americans they would have deleted those two terrorist conglomerates decades ago. you are really making fun out of them. you kill their presidents, you are destroying their buildings, you are selling them poison, you are keeping them in slavery. but ok, gotta say that europe doesnt differ much. how come that whole world is scared of two shitty terrorist states like uk and israel? and hillary is screaming in news "US has the strongest army on the globe" and shit like that. oh wow really? but why do they suck satans feet if so? why dont they smash you two since you two are the only countries really terrorizing them?

Last time I checked Jerusalem is part of Israel. Why does Sweden think Israel will gladly hand it over. Get real

True! The fate pf Jerusalem can only be decided by the Israelis and Palestitians. However, this is one battle of a war between civilizations, and could well develop into another world wide conflict. That being the case, the fate of Jerusalem is the business of every nation in the world. So neither Israel not Palestine can expect other nations to sit by complacently while the local politicians make a fuirther mess of it. Get used to it! The world is involved and will have its say! If you do not come up with something positive, you will be dumped upon.

To all of those Israel haters and not a few Jew haters,these are the dictates of countries which,for the most part,were the killing grounds of 90% of European Jewry.Swedish steel was used to manufacture the German weapons of war,as well as the extermination machinery.One could not expect anything different from these countries.

fake jewish israelite british reptiles made to terror, oppress, enslave, lie, manipulate and murder come from mars? what do you think?

and your ally britain? it would be a miracle if you werent. and if you werent, good implementation of demoncracy in iraq. is that what hillary clinton is talking about when she speaks about implementing democracy in middle east countries terrorized by US prison and israeli british bombs? and US congress wonder why there is anti americanism? america is really a poor state. they sin and lie and murder for you two fake jewish israeli and british masonic conglomerates.

You come across as the dumb red neck that doesn't know his head from a hole in the ground

Here in Stockholm there are so many palestinians that now they are deciding Swedish foreign policy. They have turned the Swedes into their puppets. The descendants of the Vikings have turned into Wank...

U.S.: Fate of Jerusalem should be decided only by Israel, Palestinians -------------------------------------------- and this is a funny statement. sounds like let israel genocide them all till the end in the way they did in the past 60 years.

At this point, it appears to me that Israel is having more diplomatic successes than under any other previous US Administration. Stuff is moving along quicker than I've ever seen it.

and 90% of "US congress" is in fact israeli. so they are asking stupid questions. always. and they lie and play dumb and never solve anything, just like israel.

US Congress frets over anti-Americanism on TV in Mideast ---------------------------- US congress should thank themselfs for conspiring with israeli british terrorist cartel what do you think? US is a terror state as long as they work for british israeli intersts. thats why anti americanism in middle east.

The USA has clearly identified its bias in favor of Israel and the occupation. Because Israel has the control and power, Palestine cannot negotiate effectively without a super power sponsor. The USA is attempting to interfere with EU efforts to facilitate equitably. Obama again demonstrates his Cairo speech was worthless.

...and let us know if it honestly states your feelings correctly.

US/French were able to delay this by 2yrs not stop it. Some solutions must be found in the next year or pressure will come back even stronger. If no peace deal in 2yrs a palestinian state will be declared with Obama's backing.

...than the bunch of misfits, fascists and crooks that currently constitute the Israeli cabinet.

What is happening to Israel? Where is the bright, hopeful secular state of the 1960s and 1970s that we all loved and supported? Halachic law's on the way and every time they don't get what they want Israel's so-called diplomats launch invective at the nearest person they haven't managed to intimidate. It's like listening to North Korea's foreign ministry or Iraqi diplomats under Saddam.

It pushes the envelope continuously because it has come to believe it can get away with anything. The tide is turning and Israel needs to see the handwriting on the wall instead of being in a constant state of denial. Empires always fall. Allies become enemies and vice versa. If Israel continues its current path there will eventually be a war in which Israel will realize it has no friends left at all, and Israel will disappear.

If he wants to be taken seriously--he needs to explain how he intends to fairly treat the Arab minority in his city with respect to citizenship, housing, schools and justice--otherwise its just more embarrassment for Israel. While thousands of "Jewish homes" are approved, Arab homes are demolished.

Why does this paper give a voice to the dregs of Europe and America? Let them go to White Power neo-Nazi websites and spill out their inherited deranged Jew-Hatred. Anyone that supports and promotes Arab claims or believes Arabs have any moral or historical right to the Jewish homeland is just plain irredeemably hostile, and spiritually deranged.

If the comments made by Israel's diplomats are correct, then its diplomatic corps have sunk to medieval standards.

listen to the racist comments..These Jews got some nerve to question the EU for it's offering of a peace opportunity. After 60 years of being unable to be find peace with its neighbours or even recognize that other people have needs, the Jews attack Sweden like they were a Palestinian at a check piont. Until the world start punishing Isreal with sanctions nothing will happen.

the same way as most Europeans have no idea about Israeli affairs, most Israelis have no idea about European affairs. Quoting CBN's report for showing how sweden is going to the wrong way? come on! christian fanatics are as bad for israel as muslim fanatics. and showing the leftists as anti-Israeli? it also depends on the country within Europe, and actually it has nothing to do with israel, but more about domestic affairs. In Hungary for example the lest has always been pro-jew and pro-Israel, and the right and christian has been the one criticisng israel and the jews.

....when the Palestinians were starving and climbing over the broken furniture Israel would naturally enough refuse foreigners entry into Gaza to see this sight and inform a concerned world that the Palestinians did all this to themselves! They brought it all upon themselves, they would say as they enjoyed their own (stolen) IKEA furniture. It is nobody's fault but the Palestinian people's...

It is a myth that Sweden has the highest suicide rate. Look at your stats again. As for not wanting to conduct your lives like the Swedish, I would totally agree with you if Sweden was an aggressor state which stole land and property from others for the past forty years and held people in a blockade seige. Oh yes, and killed those people when it felt like it. Do you consider that way of life admirable?

Once again the European Nations show that they are nothing but a bunch of pansies, incapable to stand for the principles that are supposed to be the fabric of the UE. That the US is tied up by the Lobby is something I can comprehend, but what the hell is the EU afraid of??

"no divided city in the history of the world has functioned properly." I agree with Barkat, and I was trying to imagine a solution where a two state option with East Jerusalem serving as the Palestinian capital, and the western part as Israels, but it looked impossible. Now moving 500K settlers back to Israel proper without a war is almost impossible. The two sate solution is dead. We are left with either a one binational secular democratic state or a creative form of it that secures the rights of all people who originally decent from there including the Palestinian refugees.

because of Israel's policies and behavior? The whole world was in support of Israel after the terrible and tragic holocaust. Now the whole world can see that Israel is a rogue nation that disregards international law, is an occupier, its leaders lie all day long, and would rather have land than peace....all in the name of security. and when anyone criticizes Israel then they are called "antisemites" or "ignorant" of the facts on the ground. The entire world community is wrong and Israel is right !!

The IKEA comparison is just another one of many stupid responses from Israeli officials that keep on making the country look worse and worse, month by month! Can someone PLEASE read through statements like this before the press gets them!!! Why not exlain the situation thoroughly to the EU once and for all instead of letting these kind of mistakes leaking out from left and right.

and so it goes on the attack against any person, entity, nation that criticizes its policies Having peace is more than talk and a 10 month farce of a settlement freeze. Peace does not mean Israel dictates to the Palestinians. It appears that the world opinion is moving in the right direction and against Israel's apartheid regime, lying leaders, and settlement enterprise.

Comparing peace to IKEA furniture - how clever. Israel is really the last country who should even mention the word 'peace', as they have done everything in their power to undermine peace in the last few years. I applaud Sweden, and hope that this is just the first pro-Palestine stands out of many. It is time for the world to stand with the Palestinian people.

The truth is, the so called 'palestinians' are TOTALLY unfit to have their own state. They have proven it over and over for decades..they are a warmongering people, given to martyrdom, lust for virgins, kidnappings, hijackings, stabbings, bus bombings, murder of olympic athletes, piracy like the achille lauro, smashing babies heads on rocks(kuntar)and on and on...and people here stand up for them? what a joke. If this was any of your borders, wherever you live, you would NOT stand for it for one minute. Israel should nuke these little fleas...it's brutal but the only way.. by the way, the separation wall is NOT a land grab(that's just leftist diarreah) it has successfully reduced suicide bombers down to next to nothing in areas where the fence runs...that's called smart and successful. Once again, the pals lose because of their own stupidity.

try making 27 israeli states do the same..

"The EU's only saving grace is that some of its members are responsible and moderate nations that didn't support the Swedish draft..." In other words, thank God there are still some institutions in this world we can intimidate. Where would the world be without them?

You're being a bit blind there. You correctly say how pro-Israel Swedes were in the 1970s. We all were mate. You now correctly point out that the Swedes don;t like israel any more, but with that Israeli inability to self-critcise you assume that's all the Swedes' fault. Wrong. The Swedes are tired of 42 years of occupation and land grab. So's the rest of the world.

That is a classical British strategy you are describing. Just look around the world. Two thirds of it is made by Brits including Israel and Palestinians and Afghans and Iraqis. If it works so well for Brits it should for Israelis.

Israel wouldn't take all the furniture involved, it would carefully select the best items and lug them back over the Green Line. Then at the first pretext and opportunity, they would return and bomb the remainder to smithereens so that the Palestinians had no furniture at all and Israel owned it all. They would then of course accuse the Palestinians of being hopeless and backward, totally unsuited to ever have their own state, because they don't even have furniture, let alone an IKEA.

I love the response. About time Israel stuck up for herself. I remember reading about Sweden in my statistics course that Sweden had the highest suicide rate. No wonder we don't want to accept their way to conduct our life.

The Scandinavians (Sweden included) were properly the most helpful Europeans to the Jews during the Holocaust. and from the 70's -90's every kibbutz was full of them helping Israel develop... OHH how times have changed.. they now seem to initiate every anti-Israel proposal (or at least not in Israel's interest). They're Über leftest government picks who they deem to be the victim no matter the circumstance and tries to be there all mighty protector. What is ironic is my Swedish girlfriend tells me that racism against Muslims in Sweden is wide spread.. It looks like they only have far vision. In the end Jerusalem will always be the united capital of Israel no matter what any Swede mixes up in his head.

The Sweedish social system atracted muslim jihadi emigrants from ruined countries that are slowly efecting it's external and internal policies and will bring this country to a total colapse. watch the clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaPz7p-1-bk

has been doing with the seperation fence. Using a Hammer and a screwdriver to impose Peace, borders and facts on the ground before megotiations are undertaken with the Palestinian people. Therefore if Israel can take the IKEA approach to peace, why can't the rest of Planet Earth?

...about IKEA furniture. If, however, we liken the situation to furniture, as the Israeli officials saw fit to do, then we can safely conclude that Israel would take all the furniture involved, just as they want to take all the West Bank...

"Gee, I'd really like to have that nice IKEA bookshelf, but I refuse to use a hammer or screwdriver to build it. Instead, I demand that you build it for me, then leave, or else I'll kill you." Since that has been the Arab position for 60 years vis-a-vis any Jewish home rule in Israel, the Swedish perspective is a warped as that bookshelf would be if the particle board its made of ever got wet. Some members of the Arab community, far from all, have come around to maving away from total rejectionism, but that movement has only been won by Israel's steadfast refusal to accept less and by demonstrating that it will indeed settle all of the land if the Arabs will not accept to live alongside Israel in peace. Sweden's failure (and the failure of what passes for "the left" these days) to grasp that dynamic is the basis of their fundamental misperception of the state of tis conflict.

not the other way around. The E.U. does not need Israel. Israel does, big time!

The swedish-EU idea is nonsense, but the Israeli reaction is childish. What does IKEA has to do with all this? It is not even funny.

Really? no devided cities? well, there are a few actually within the EU. Dear Mr. Mayor of Jerusalem, come to Europe and have a look at them. First there were fences, then free passage, now nothing. still they are devided between 2 states.

If Israeli politicians were so brilliant at foreign policy how did they get Israel stuck in a quagmire in Lebanon? Why didn't they negotiate with Sadat before he even attacked Israel in 73? He wanted to talk? Israel's leaders are not illiterate. They can read international law. They are saying to the EU that it doesn't apply to them. They are also trying to divide Europeans by singling out Sweden. Well, guess what? Many Europeans are tired of Israel's violations as well. Sweden didn't do this on its own. Remember, whenever votes come in front of the UN it's like 177 votes against maybe 5 and some of the 5 countries voting for Israel are allied to the US and are islands that depened on the US. So who is exactly not getting it? We get it, Israel. You don't get it.

http://after-the-false-peace.blogspot.com/

Sweden has a good sense of justice. It does not have to defend over fourty years of excesses, exploitive policies and just plain bad decisions. Sweden has an admirable history of social justice. The problem with zealotry is that it blinds people to the damage their actions impose upon others. Israel has a history which has become an obstacle to peace because Israelis will not admit to the excesses that have been promolgated under the occupation. Sweden has acted wisely and with integrity.

Now I will buy more furniture from IKEA! Jerusalem should be the capitals of Palestine and Israel.

... but the IKEA model works! peace there seems not... there is something to learn... may be a sabbatical for Israelis and Palestinians at IKEA will make the difference!