Israel authorizes building in another East Jerusalem neighborhood

Israel is less than 20% of the land promised to it. How can you say expanding when Israel settled for MUCH less than is should have. How about the fact Israel is 20% Arab and gave its Arabs citizenship, while Jordan Palestine which is the other 80% of the land ethnically cleansed it of 100% of the Jews and has laws banning Jews from citizenship and land ownership. In 67, when Israel liberated Jerusalem, it didnt kick out the arabs unlike what the Arabs did to the Jews. Every single synagogue in Jerusalem was destroyed and Jordan Palestine banned Jews from praying at the wailing wall. When Israel liberated Jerusalem it allowed the Wakf to stay. Muslims are daily desecrating the Temple Mount, the Holiest of Jewish sites, so give me a break. ISrael has done EVERYTHING for peace. Arabs have dont almost nothing. Your comments are the opposite of the truth. Peace will happen when the Arabs try to make peace. They havent for 100+ years. Good News Jews are VERY VERY patient.

My history may not be perfect, but I know for a fact that a state called Palestine never existed west of the Jordan River, and was only called Mandate Palestine for approximately 25 years. On the otherhand, all these made up Arab states which are under 100 years old have no history to the land, nothing holding them together other than dicatators, so if I were you I'd be alot more worried about what the Arab landscape will look like in 20 years. Israel was there first and will be there long after the Arab empire crumbles and reorganizes. As for actual history, 2 states were created, 4 if you include Syria and Lebanon, in the territory known as Palestine. The native inhabitants were Jews. 3 are Arab states, with Jordan Palestine comprising about 78% of the land. Keep making up stories though. I enjoy a good laugh.

"The Land of Israel belongs exclusively to the people of Israel." (B. Gold) You have to be a Jew to believe that. Should we call on the entire world to convert? Our leaders have sometimes been stupid, but ayatullahs they are not. Thanks God. Rabbi Yehuda Gelman said: "Obsessive concentration on Eretz Yisrael should yield to concentrating on creating before God a meritorious nation." www.yeshiva.org.il/midrash/shiur.asp?cat=58&id=4825&q= What is so meritorious, I ask you, in being the only democratic country to lord over a foreign and stateless people?

"And why shouldn't they?" (Steven) Quite simple: Because it is against the international law. Change the international law, then start building everywhere. Or find some huge oil reserves. In Israel I mean. Jerusalem being the eternal capital of the Jewish people has nothing to do with it. Israel is not synonymous with the Jewish people. The former is a UN state member, remember? The latter is not. Is that within your grasp? Or perhaps not?

Peace is the last thing they want, they want to recreate a biblical land because they are under the delusion THEY are chosen and special and better than anyone else. and they wonder why so many can't stomach their unfair practices and actions. Israel does not stand for HUMAN rights, only Jewish rights. Until Israel supports human rights they will continue to self destruct and ruin any chances of any homeland anywhere. There is no respect for modern or international law. Old religious texts full of twisted teachings and bibotry is their road map, and it is destroying them. Israel needs to become secular and human rights oriented, then they can survive, and maybe even thrive.

The international justice and the God (as some, not even the majority of Jews perceive it) given justice. I know what justice I like to prevail.

"...told Haaretz that the Obama administration is not interested in a crisis with the government of Netanyahu on settlements." Nope, just keep building, we'll keep sending you money, and veto all those nasty Security Council resolutions. Yep. Proud to be an American.

See UNSC 478. I l l e g a l. From B'tSelem: "Israel?s policy gravely infringes the rights of residents of East Jerusalem and flagrantly breaches international law. East Jerusalem is occupied territory. Therefore, it is subject, as is the rest of the West Bank, to the provisions of international humanitarian law that relate to occupied territory. The annexation of East Jerusalem breaches international law, which prohibits unilateral annexation. For this reason, the international community, including the United States, does not recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem."

You say, "The Palestinians have quelled the attacks for several months. Shouldn`t there be some reciprocation by halting settlement construction." Months? There was 8 years between the First and Second Intifadas. Pal Charters have not changed. Is it peace working, or is it the fence working? It has been 8 years since 9-11. Should we chuck the security lines and fly with the cockpit doors open? You're new around here, aren't you, Matt?

"And why shouldn't they?" (Steven) Quite simple: It is against the international law. Change the international law, then start building everywhere. Or find some huge oil reserves. In Israel I mean. Jerusalem being the eternal capital of the Jewish people has nothing to do with it. Israel is not synonymous with the Jewish people. The former is a UN state member, the latter is not. Is that within your grasp?

It seems that Israel is not too concerned if obama is pleased or not...

"How anyone in the world makes a big deal about building some Jewish homes in this pristine desert landscape ... " (Steve) Here is why, since the reason has obviously escaped your grasp. No matter how pristine and deserted this lanscape is, it is still occupied territory - as Pisgat Zeev itself is. There are many pristine and deserted lanscapes in the Negev. What about building these "Jewish homes" there, on sovereign Israeli territory? One thing is sure: These would not entail military occupation of any foreign and stateless population.

Jerusalem (in its entirity) is the capital city of Israel, even when it was occupied by the Saracens, the Crusaders, the Jordanians and now currently the Arabs calling themselves "Palestinians", it has rightfully remained the Jewish capital, and Israel can build whatever it wants within the confines of Jerusalem.

"The Land of Israel belongs exclusively to the people of Israel." If you are talking about a "biblical" right then read your bible. The biblical covenant was not made with Jews but rather with the decendants of Jacob which became the "Israelites". Some of which were later called "jews" some of which were converted to Islam and Christanity. Many of todays Pals are the decendants of the Israelites. Most of the Israeli jews today are decendants of converts and have NO blood link to the ancient Israelites and therefore have NO biblical rights.

Israel is entitled to make it's own decisions. I support this.

what is all this foolish talk about new building in east jerusalem,jew are doing what is right the land belongs to them, and so obama-arabstan and the rest of the world who is pressuring israel should beware Gods wrath is going to fall on the nation for what they have done to the people of GOD

arabs are buying apartments in every jewish neighborhood in east jerusalem. the have become more and more specialy in, french hill, Pisgat Ze'ev and many more. so dont come here and ask why arabs cant buy. because they can and they are doing it.

Expropriateing land by force, or pseudo legal means has unfortunaely been a feature of Israel's national policy since the beginning. According to Wikipedia, about 500 villages and cities had Arab residents removed without due process and no hope of compensation. Jews who moved into those houses and lands may think that their settling in Zion is a mitzvah, when in fact it is based on a profound historic wrong and immoral under Jewish Law. This process is continuuing to this day with the building process which violates international and Jewish law, and most importantly jeoprodizes real peace by encroaching on a future Palestinian state by one sided de facto ursurpation. Rather than creating by building, Israel is making ennemies at an alarming rate. The freeze is long overdue and should be permanent.

... but the settlement institution would still owe reparations to the Pals for past iniquities and high-handed requisitions...

... otherwise it is pure provocation. ... in any case, some Pals already have rentals in Pisgat Zeev.

The Land of Israel belongs exclusively to the people of Israel. The Jews have the right to build and live freely in their country. Agreements as a result of pressure are not valid and will not change historical truth and International Legitimacy (The San Remo agreements). Mistakes done in the past by Israeli government(s) should not be respected and should be put right immediately. Settlements in Judea, Samaria (i.e., the West Bank), Gaza and the whole of Jerusalem are legal. We should return to the original legitimity as described at : http://xrl.us/bjch4

Jews contain their anger at centuries of mistreatment in foreign lands by building their own nation out of a sparesly-populated, malaria-infested wasteland and now continuing construction on barren hilltops. Arabs vent their frustration at the creation of a tiny Jewish Island in the sea of Islam by blowing up buses and flying planes into buildings. Atheists targert their anger at the grave offense of the restoration of a Jewish nation into a passive-aggressive campaign of boycott and divestment. May G-d bless our Christian friends who transfer their anger into faith.

Pisgat Ze'ev borders the Wadi Kelt that traverses the solitude of the Judean desert to Jericho. How anyone in the world makes a big deal about building some Jewish homes in this pristine desert landscape that has never contained a significant population since Jewish life under Roman rule amazes me.

Why donlt Israel invite Palestinian folk to live in the new settlements along side of isralies as friends in peace?

The last sentence in the article truly says it all. The Obama administration is not interested in a cris with the Netanyahu government. Translation is they are rolling over and taking orders from Netanyahu. The Israeli government knows this and therefore feels bold enough to take these actions. If President Obama doesn't have the spine or courage to stand up to the Israeli government then he should have never wasted his time pursuing peace in the first place. As an American citizen I am disgusted with Obama and his lack of courage.

and what will go down in history as this 100 year experiment and the last remnant of WW2 FAILED. The grass will grow, the Palestinians will migrate back and the Jews will slowly fade again once again into the Christian west - where they are already gravitating to. Jews don't do well being in control - they always fail.

.....isn't it...??? Israels leaders (and those who vote them into office) really seem to have a special kind of "humour"....:)

why all this news blaming bibi about projects that were approved during the olmert regime. Infastructure was already in place by the time bibi came into office. Bibi hasn't started any new projects since he came into office and yet he gets no credit for it and the media takes projects that olmert started like they were projects bibi started.

Matt, don't post that with such reluctance, you're exactly right - what Israel does is hard to defend; it's impossible to depend actually. This isn't the only time Israel does things contrary to common sense and decency, or even its own security. Building more settlements and displacing people on occupied or disputed or whatever land, fully knowing how provocative and counterproductive it is, has nothing to do with self-defense. Building a wall and 450 checkpoints to protect those settlements, the construction of which is decided solely upon ethno-religious grounds, has nothing to do with security.

A blind man wearing wooden glasses can clearly see Israel have no intentions of making peace. Why we continue to tolerate this nonsense is beyond my understanding.

...I'm sure Mitchell will bear his good tidings when he gets there.

Build on dudes. Tick off the other inhabitants. Wonder why they fight back with bottles? Bombs? Rockets? You is so right!! Poor us, we are so shat upon!! Get a life, stop building. Find peace, The Pals are!!!

well, welll....so hussein teleprompter is 'demanding' now.... eventually, he WILL understand that ISRAEL does not take orders. but let's see him order north korea and iran what to do...yeah right..pathetic isn't it? i really feel for you americans.. how he managed to pull the wool over your eyes is beyond me.

As a staunch supporter of Israel, the recent news of allowing more construction in Palestinian areas is really hard for me to defend. The Palestinians have quelled the attacks for several months. Shouldn't there be some reciprocation by halting settlement construction. Maybe the US should halt some of the money it gives to Israel until its leaders wise up.