Settlers reject Netanyahu plea to respect settlement freeze

isreal gave the settlers card blanc now they can t control them

"The Palestinian state exists as from 1922. Its called Jordan." (vhardman) Thanks God for Hashemite Jordan. Severely deranged is he who dreams of a Palestinian state bordered by Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

In terms of Israel's interest and future, it is totally irrelevant how many Muslim nations there are in the world, or what percentage of available territory they or Israel occupies. They do not all try to annihilate Israel. Despite Jewish propaganda that you are all collected at Masada awaiting disaster, the only Arab nations who could conceivably attack Israel are Syria, Jordan and Egypt. They have tried it in the past, did not like the results, and for Jordan and Egypt, their relations with the US are more important to them than their hostility to Israel. Israel has one of the most sophisticated and powerful armies in the world (thanks to the US,) and one of the greatest cases of paranoia the world has ever seen. Israel hasn't had a war with a Muslim nation in 36 years. The US has fought more wars against Muslims during that time period. Get over it, and stop nagging the world about your irrational fears. The international community is tired of it.

Clearly what was offered under the Clinton plan went far beyond the Likud Charter, so that is irrelevant. Remember Arafat rejected that plan and opted for the 2nd intifada. So to those who bring up the Likud Charter your point is moot. Nice try at changing the subject though. We only have to look back to yesterday and see Hamas consulting with Nassralah(Hezbollah)to see the Hamas Charter is still in force. If that is not enough read recent statements by Hamas, they don't recognize Israel "right to exist".

After Israel left Gaza rocket attacks began immediately. So of course Israel will resist "tooth and nail" a settlement freeze. It doesn't seem unreasonable. BTW the outline you mentioned is not what was offered under Clinton(look it up), which was rejected by Arafat, he opted for the 2nd intifada.

who fought the ottomans ???? palestinians ????????????? basil get a history lesson before posting any more garbage !

Sadat undermined the Egyptian Left and then encouraged the Muslim brotherhood. Then, he signed a peace treaty after he encouraged Islamic groups, and, then, he got shot. Sadat asked for Israel to let go of the West Bank and Gaza. Begin refused. For a long time Israeli seculars encouraged settlers, and then one of those who promoted them, Rabin, got killed after he converted to the idea of a peaceful co-existence between Arabs and Jews. Too many people have used religion as a tool for a politics and it makes too many people victims. These settlers are acting in an immoral manner. If Israel is serious, it should have a real freeze and cut off the settlements financially. It won't, so Europe needs to take action because brainwashed America which is influenced by media moguls like Rupert Murdoch won't do anything. The Europeans helped create this problem, they need to fix it. The Palestinians only fought Turkey because the British promised them freedom. Set them free.

to agree that the Palestinians can have everything East of the Green line, and soon.

Since when did settlers ever respect what anyone had to say other than the crazy old testament. If you want them out, you'd better outsource the job to the USA - i'm sure many here at home would love to see the settlers get Falluja'd, compliments of those here who are tired of the games in the games people play in the middle east with lives of Palestinians. I'll be first in line to help UNsettle them.

the palestinians can say all the zionists must go to the u.s., alaska, hawai. both peoples have equal rights to live on the 26000 km2 piece of land. both peoples have the right to return to it. end islam and zionism!

Do you think that is why the etzel and lehi terrorists emulated them?

If you have to go that far back to find an example they can't be all that bad.

time for all arabs to move there ! its called jordan !

persecution, of course. Still, they go on.... and, I have to repeat which was not published - it is the Judenrein policy all over again. And somthing else - there never was a Palestinian people, neither was there a Palestinian State anywhere in the world, certainly not in our land. That "people" was created for the one and only reason - the justification of our destroyal. The so called "Palestinians" are fugitives to our land out of all Middle-Eastern and North-African Arabic states, from the Balkans and many other zones in the world. The greater part of which immigrated previous just two years to the 1948 war, when the Jihad first tried to prevent the founding of a state for the Jews (not a Jewish state, which it is not).

The settlers, if they stay and become Palestinian Jews, will have to depend on Palestinian police for their security just like Israeli Arabs depend on Israeli police for their security. If they don't like it, they can leave.

The Netanyahu's government should protect Israel's national security interests and not the interests of external entities that are undermining Israel's interests and existence.

the irish terrorists caught a mother of ten children.her crime was to give water to a dying british soldier.they tortured her and then killed her.the ten children were left very young and motherless.they would not told of their mother's burial pace until 30 years had passed.no worse terrorists then the irish kind.

There are about sixty muslim states in the world. There are over twenty Arabic states, occupying 80% of our land, by British vile. The Arabs occupy 99.9% of Middle-east lands, still, they try, time and again, to annihilate Liliputian Israel, bluffing their Nazi doctorine all the way to consentrating us inside Auschwitz-borders, into 0.1% of the Middle East. And Israel gives in willingly, because Ben-Gurion's state is the most anti-Semitic state in the world. All nations will never earn forgiviness, nor from the Almighty neither from true Jews for two thousand yeare of Jew prosecution, and, still, the go on in their beastly ways.

This is a totally fraudulent posting.He does it all the time.

ibrahim you seek justice only in israel.what about a semblance of justice for the bombed out civilians of iraq?is it not in your interest to discuss them? your fellows mercilessly blow up women and children and young men standing in line for jobs.you ibrahim ask for mercy on the merciless.

or even in the last 40 years---it has not changed much. You might get balance in your thinking re who wants peace---or rather who even wants a two state solution.

of Irgun Stern/Lehi. Can we expect that the illegal settlers will become modern day terrorists---oops sorry---freedom fighters??????.

When Israel is forced to evacuate all the settlements it should use the empty settler homes to rehome palestinian refugees and as part of the rehoming of the refugees they should recogise israel if not the bulldoze the settlements .

Your ideas sound great, Jewish Palestinians just like Arab Israelis. Unfortunately, whenever a Jew comes in contact with Arabs in Judea or Samaria, he is likely to be killed. Even if a Jew wanders accidentally into an Arab town, he risks slaughter. Do you recall the bloody hands of the Arabs who tore apart two Jews who accidentally wandered into Ramallah? Jews are willing to accept Arabs living in their midst, the reverse is not true.

"...The real test is whether further housing units are authorised over the next 10 months...". You heard what Bibi said: it's back to normal in ten months (or 9.5, now I guess). The applications will pile up and be approved in mid November next year. Meanwhile, they will enclose balconies, cover up pergolas, build synagoges and community centers, and build those 3-4000 thousand already approved or in works. And of course, demolish Palistinian homes.

"...Why don`t all you foreigners shut the hell up and let things be...? Problem is, Ahmed, that the settlers are also foreigners. They have no place in the West Bank.

For Most Jews and the international community peace is a Palestistian state and a Jewish state. The Israeli political leaders, Netanyahu, Barak and Livni have all accepted this.The palestinians have always rejected this. For Palestinians peace is a Jew-free West Bank and an Israel flooded with Palestinians so as to give them a second state and no Jewish state. That's their version of 2 states and peace. Palestinians look for every scenario to avoid accepting a Jewish Israel. That's their version of peace and the reason none exists.

gimmeee a break silver.you have a curious case of foot in mouth disease.

Both sides want peace. The question is under what terms? Israel fought tooth and nail to avoid freezing settlements. Bibi finnally said he would do a partial settlement freeze but only for few months. This tells us what? Israel wants a peace where the Palestinians have no control over their territory, are surrounded by ever expanding settlements, and have no access to Jerusalem... Sorry, buddy, Israel's idea of peace is not in line with that of the international community. Some semblence of justice is required.

It really is not a freeze--thousands of houses are getting built--but still settlers are "rejecting" Israeli law with impunity. Meanwhile the obligation and promise to evacuate illegal settlements is being "put on hold". Does Israel see what the rest of the world sees?

and built it up from nothing with sweat and their bare hands. Could be Bibi has lost contact with his 'roots' and has abandoned his long held principles and beliefs? Could be a lot of Israeli leaders are in the same category as Bibi. This is a lose, lose situation for our PM and he has grossly underestimated these people just as the British underestimated the Jewish resolve for a homeland and their determination and resourcefulness in 1948. If their fathers had obeyed the British and gone along with everything where would Israel be today? Bibi and Barak are not worthy to wipe the sweat off the brow of the least of these settlers !

let the settlers know that if the land upon which they settle eventually becomes part of a Palestinian state, the settlers will become Palestinians,,,,,,,,,, Palestinian Jews who will travel on Palestinian passports and spend Palestinian currency. They`ll see Palestinian doctors in Palestinian hospitals. Palestinian police will investigate crime and Palestinian firefighters will put out their fires. They`ll pay taxes to Palestine and use Palestinian postage. Israel has Arabs. Palestine will have Jews. It`s the exactly same thing. Settlers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, enjoy!!!

Tell the Palestinians --- "This offer is valid for 100 hours only, and you will have to sit with us NOW to restart negotiations..." What will be affect of that? Why should the Palestinians sit down to negotiate when only Israel believes that this half-freeze is a real gesture? Will Abbas believe that he has the people behind him because Israel says it will partly (except in East Jerusalem) stop building (well, issuing new permits), except for residences and other buidlings that it deems necessary? The Netanyahu government has only managed to show to the world that they are unable or unwilling to implement even insufficient concessions.

They carry guns and are protected by IDF.

If we go back to Yamit and the Gaza settlements we see the settlers have a need to at least show their opposition. It's too bad for them because it's a useless freeze but in the real world Jews have to go through the motions to try and please Obama. Not so far as to include Jerusalem but enough to show they are giving it a try.

The settlement freeze should go down in the Guiness worlds record book as the most not thought out political move of all time! What was Bibi thinking? There is not one group from the left to the right including USA and other EU countries that he satisfied with this stunt. The "settlers" are furious and are vowing to never vote for Bibi again, the arabs are not appeased as the plan doesn't include East jerusalem and USA our best "friend" didn't quite react the way Bibi thought they would. All in all, this move is a disaster. If Bibi was smart, he should find a way to get out of this mess very quickly before the situation further deteriorates or he will lose any chance of staying in politics for the foreseable future!

No Israeli PM has either the guts or the backing to stand up to the settlers. In the end, all the Israel-bashers will realize that Ariel Sharon was on their side.

If either side wanted peace, they would be at peace. They do not need the us in America to bring them peace. The real problem here is that both sides are raised from birth to hate the other, hell they don't even see each other as human beings. The rest of the world says "We want peace" and you think that their just going to give up what they believe in and live together in harmony. This is a lost cause. It's time to pull out of there and let what ever is going to happen to happen. We have our own problems to worry about.

electricity , gas, water, security, money, all come from the State do they can only demonstrate and express their anger, nothing else. There has to be law for all and no exceptions.

In Canada, you ask for a building permit, it's approved, you build. If not, you don't build. If you do, you get fined and risk having the structure torn down. In Israel, you squat on land that isn't yours, build, and then use violence to support your claims to the land that isn't yours. Civilization? Laws? Ehhh?

The settlements are wrong and in my opinion illegal. They're difficult to manage and provide security..everyone wants to improve their homes which becomes questionable as to its legallity. If they're abandoned, there will be a whole set of new problems and costs and eventually costs will be violence and lost lives.

Have you not heard ? Netanyahu stated at Bar Ilan University weeks ago : Israel is ready for a two state solution. He invited Abou Mazen more than once to discuss peace on that basis but the Palestinians as usual dont' want to know. So, you could address your grievance to the Palestinians .

While some here prefer sarcasm, the fact is Israel is trying to enforce a settlement freeze that causes vast internal disagreements. Israel does want peace. Others lament "peoples whole life" being affected. While ignoring the cause, Jordan attacked Israel(Jordan controlled East Jerusalem and the West Bank) during the 1967 six day war. Israel pleaded with Jordan to stay out of the war. Jordan among others lost the war. That is the context of this situation. So at the end of the day Israel is fighting a battle with its settlers because they truly want peace...actions speak louder than words. Meanwhile the Palestinians have elected Hamas into their government who have sworn NOT to recognize Israel and whose charter states, it want to destroy Israel. So the real question is, who is more sincere about wanting Peace?

The colonists are Jews. Israel does not treat them in the same manner as Arabs. It is simply that simple. There is one set of laws for Jews and anohter for non-Jews. That is Israel.

is that Israel, before a declaration of two states fully intended of Annexing the west bank... after 40 years of establishing cities and towns in the west bank, its going to be very hard for Israel to stop or even slow down construction... This is just a taste of things to come if peace if going to happen... The settlers will riot! If Israel gets pushed to far/to fast by the peace now lobby then this could lead to a civil war... All i see is the left wing nuts saying that ISrael should not have been there in the fist place, how under someone elses laws Jews have zero rights to live in the land... But if the British had not restricted Jewish Immigration to Israel during WWII then areas currently being setteled would have been jewish anyways... The peace now lobby should rejoice in these actions by israel... they are the first of thier kind under any israeli governtment ever! A partial slowdown is much better then nothing at all! Stop complaining all ready! Sheesh!

Bibi and Barak should take this to the next logical conclusion. Tell the Palestinians --- "This offer is valid for 100 hours only, and you will have to sit with us NOW to restart negotiations, or we'll dump the whole plan. If you sit with us, we'll go along with making headway on the program for 10-months, because without your cooperation, this ain't gonna fly." It's all about the Palestinians making a show of good faith to match the Israeli gesture. It's NOT about stopping settlements. That call for a "freeze" was just a means to an end -- namely getting a peace deal moving towards a final resolution again.

Inevitably, they say one thing and do another and when called on it say the rest of the world did not understand their interpretation which is the only correct one. Hence, they do what they want to do anyway.

Does the State of Israel control the West Bank or not? Is Netanyahu making announcements with great fanfare without being able to follow up on what he tells the rest of Planet Earth? Is Israel capable of making the decisions and enforcing them if there is a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians? Will the Western Democracies that Israel relies on so heavily run out of patience? Will the decent Israelis who are proper Jews ever speak out and say as the majority enough? Is Israel actually fracturing along political religious lines and heading for civil war? Are Israel's Politicians actually worthy of the position they hold or held prisoner by vested interests? Should I have chocolate or vanilla ice cream for pudding?

A little bit here, a little bit there and soon they have a whole which excludes entirely their opponenet. That has been the plan all along and all this talk of "freeze" is a lie and deception.

Israel has no desire to see the creation of a two state solution. It has created conditions on the ground for decades that more and more make that solution an impossibility and a one state solution more likely. But the international community cannot afford to let the status quo continue. The recent moves by the EU declaring their support of East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine is a good first step. But only economic pressure against this rogue state will work in affecting change.

No israel, No Palestine. One State Solution is the best for all. One Man, One Vote, Equality for all inhabitants. Equal Pay for Equal Work, Equal Water Rights. No Apartheid, No Segregation...A Very True Secular Democracy. Let us call it :?State of Holy Land?.

It is time for our elected government to start acting like they are in charge and stop cowering to the settlers before the settlers drive Israel to a civil war. Netanyahu should not be pleading with the settlers, he should be having them beat back an arrested and permanently barred from the territories until they start abiding by Israeli law.

There isn't any as of yet.

... in any case the settlers are the masters of intimidation... they practice it on the Pals daily, and now they're inflicting it on their own government...

Israeli population growing besides Israelis/Jews probably annoyed instantly being told how to live on their land. Settlements the most important movement at this time to bring confidence to new comers. Palestinians/Arabs will newer sort out their misery's regardless of whom to blame.

This one seems to be stuck in the mud, with neither side able to move. No Israeli PM is going to say that the Palestinians can have E J'sem as their capital, not this side of a final status agreement anyway. The hordes of entrenched Zios would bring the government down and put the police in the firing line. No Palestinian President is going to enter talks where E' J'sem is not on the table. They too would be brought down pretty quickly by the Pal extremists. The only answer to get the ball rolling is that Bibi has to say one thing in public and do the opposite in private. (He's good at that, shouldn't be a problem). That means a private assurance to Abbas that no more building starts will actually get the go-ahead in the next 10 months. That just might overcome the blockage and get the two sides talking. They need to get a move on, 10 months is not a long time in which to get some kind of deal.

Three oints are very pertinent when it comes to ?Israel Occupation?: 1) Virtually every nation that has been created in recorded history has been settled and occupied by invaders from other areas. Australians, unless of aborigines, are descendends of invaders who conquered the inhabitants by force, the Celts moved in the British Isles, the New World settled by Europeans with genocide on the natives, England invades by Germans and French. Unless you are an aborigine you are probable a descend ant of an ?invader?, whether it be since WW2 or further in the past. 2) This being said, any Australian, Brit, Irish or American need to look to their countries owns transgressions before condemning Israel, whose ancestors settled the Land of Milk and Honey over 2000 years ago. 3) The PLO and Hamas charter do not recognize the country of Israel to this day. The two-state solution is a mythological nation of Palestine, which never existed, and a second mythological nation of Palestine, which is presently Israel. The Arabs in the West Bank and Israel do not want peace they want the whole piece of Israel.

Yes, the whole settlement enterprise has been a terrific mistake and is costing Israel far too high a price financially, politically, diplomatically and socially. But with 500,000 settlers in residence, stopping it now, let alone reversing it, is like trying to stop and turn a supertanker. I remain cynical about the freeze. However, the GOI is taking some tentative steps in the right direction. The 3,000 housing units given the go-ahead (allegedly) already have planning consent; if so, there's not much anyone can do about it legally, including the GOI. The two dozen civic buildings and the moratorium on demolishing illegal outposts are obviously sops to the settlers. Not so good, but politics is the art of the possible. The real test is whether further housing units are authorised over the next 10 months. If so, the freeze is just another scam and Israel will be found out soon enough. The core problem remains Israel's settlement antics in E J'sem.

Do ya'll realize that 120,000 Palestinian laborers are out of work because of this freeze? Why don't all you foreigners shut the hell up and let thingas be?

..."""Katz called on settlers to declare an "uncompromising struggle by taking off the gloves against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's anti-Semitic and racist decree."""" Yet anothor clear and blatant example of the overuse, misuse and abuse of the the "anti-semitism" phrase to grab yet more land.

"Officials said the people needed for these evacuations and demolitions were busy enforcing the freeze." The High Court declares Jewish houses illegal, instead of dispatching the army forthwith to destroy them, they claim they can't enforce this because the new inspectors are enforcing the freeze, which has also been delayed due to political stalling. In the end...neither gets enforced. Bang up rule of law, Israel!

Some of us on this site have noted that people are promiscuous in their calling us anti-semitic for opposing Israeli policies. I think the fact that Netanyahu is now being called anti-semitic proves our point.

there is only one leader with the ability the nation needs and that is ehud barak. one wonders however why it is he is unable to bring his staff onside.why are they always leaving him?

"Meanwhile, the state told the High Court of Justice that the freeze would force it to postpone the evacuation of several illegal outposts and the demolition of thousands of illegal buildings against which demolition orders had already been issued. Officials said the people needed for these evacuations and demolitions were busy enforcing the freeze." Now that's a gem. By the sound of it, because of the Fake Freeze, there are going to be MORE illegal buildings around than if there had been no Fake Freeze at all!

The freeze will probably not bring the objective of a peace settlement any closer, but the actions of the settlers is contrary to the law. Who rules Israel ? The Government or the extremists? The arab states designated the Palestinian Authority as the sole representative of the Palestinian people. Hamas refuse to accept that ruling. The Jewish extremists refuse to obey the ruling of the Israeli government. How can there be peace when the word COMPROMISE is not in their dictionary ?

It's just a permit slowdown. It isn't a freeze and is only called that for propaganda value. It doesn't apply everywhere and is barely enforced. Get Real.

"General repairs? Enclosing balconies? Whats wrong with that? It`s not new construction it is only improving whats already there...." What's already there...ILLEGALLY! Just add it to 61 years of illegal activities by the Israeli Government. For some Palestine refugees it's been their WHOLE LIFE!!

Incredible, Israel sell to people she wanted to begin the peace dialog, but at the same time she promised settlers that after ten month we will come back to the old times... So, how Israel consider the world. How Israel consider the palestinians. Can you say something and then something exactly opposite... Israel is playing all the time about the really meaning of peace. Settlers have become a sect and with a sect you can not have an agreement base of logical ideas. Settlers believe that the Torah world is a reality that happen in front of their eyes, they have become the religion the most important aspects of their life. Religion of old time is cruel, hard, and intolerance. So, if you want to practice religion you have to be able to put religion deeply into your heart but not to use that in order to achieve political objetive...

And these are the people who proposed a law making an oath of loyalty to the state compulsory for every citizen? Can't have been for every citizen after all. I must have got that wrong.

He'll say a variation along these lines: Guys, just *pretend* to be outraged [wink], and then I'll *pretend* to be tough [nudge][nudge] and this freeze [giggle] with only be an inconvenience [smirk] for a short amount of time. Know wot' I mean? Because Netanyahu has no intention of doing anything OTHER THAN giving Obama an excuse to lay all the blame at the feet of the Palestinians, and to lay garlands of flowers at the feet of Bibi. That's all this farce exists for i.e. to let the Americans choose to go along with this farce as the path of least resistence.

instead of bringing the beast it has created into submission, it continues to fuel its defiance by yielding to its snarls; and the beast grows ever more threatening. for a government that "says" it's willing to accept a two state solution, israel sure isn't acting like it when it refuses to lay the law down to those who are its biggest obstacle. quite the opposite actually, israel seems instead to be going out of its way to reassure them that it's all temporary and that they'll be free to resume their little enterprise of theft in short time. and you wonder why the palestinians aren't buying into bibi's settlement freeze?

I tune in to the great Fake Freeze Farce every morning for a chuckle. This morning's gem is "Meanwhile, the state told the High Court of Justice that the freeze would force it to postpone the evacuation of several illegal outposts and the demolition of thousands of illegal buildings against which demolition orders had already been issued. Officials said the people needed for these evacuations and demolitions were busy enforcing the freeze." LOL. So the Fake Freeze has 'unfrozen' previously frozen building! So if the settlers just continue building during the Fake Freeze, as they have said they will, nobody will demolish their buildings because they haven't even managed to demolish the ones from before. It gets funnier and more farcical all the time. Tune in tomorrow for another episode of the Fake Freeze Farce!

General repairs? Enclosing balconies? Whats wrong with that? It's not new construction it is only improving whats already there.

Stop Joking, when has there been any problems to stop palestinian building regardless of contracts or even legal overship, there has never been problem to tear down parts or additions to palestinian homes. We have shown for years we have the means to do whatever east of the green line, as long as the subject is a palestinian. If we have the means just imply same rules for anyone east of the green, settler or palestinian the same.... No more fuzz with settler protests and political deadlocks. The settler movement has costed Israel it's international reputation, it's security, lost lifes of both Israeli and palestinians and enormous amounts of tax money needed for better causes

Must be the heat of the middle east which makes it harder to freeze things.

very true. I thought this was intended as a confidencemeasure towards the palestinians but this halfbaked non-freeze isn't pleasing anyone. Well maybe except for Nethanyahu

... making themsleves more cosy under pergolas etc., but should be looking for alternative accommadation within sovreign Israel... ... otherwise this whole freezing episode is a sham and a shambles...

it is that because of attempting to enforce the slush (I refuse to debase the meaning of freeze by terming what netanyahu has announced as such) the Israeli government cannot enforcce the limits it had previously set in place. But, if there is no-one available to carry out demolitions in the 'outposts' and 'settlements', does that mean that there will be no-one available to demolish Palestinian houses in Jerusalem, and non-Jewish houses in Israel?

Stop calling it a freeze and start calling it a temporary reduction of some construction in certain areas. It should be obvious to anyone that it isn't a freeze, yet that word appears like ten times in this article.

"we want peace, we want peace" LOL

It is about the legality and morality of settlements. It is about Israel's unwillingness to be truthful about the settlements It is about Israel being a rogue state that does what it wants in the name of security. Enough is enough peace for two states, the whole world is ready.

Two faced, deceitful and in full view of the world.