U.S. 'regrets' Netanyahu plan to approve new West Bank homes

..The Romans are gone, The Ottomans are gone, the British are gone. The land of Israel belongs now to it's true original owners and so it should stay forever regardless of the views of the Americans, the Europeans the Asians and least of all the trespassers on this land - the Palestinians.

" ... their previous owners do not want them back." (Moshe) Partly true, but totally irrelevant. The only previous "owner" of the Gaza Strip and of the West Bank was the Ottoman empire. Since its fall in 1918, and the Treaty of Sèvres, August 1920, later superseded by the Treaty of Lausanne, 1923 (see Wikipedia), no country has been internationally recognized as the legitimate "owner" of these territories. This is why the West Bank is an occupied territory, a "disputed" one, as Arik Sharon once defined it. Obviously disputed to its population. Hence its military occupation by the IDF. Here is someone better informed than you: "The Palestinians deserve to live under better conditions than they are subjected to, and be free of the humiliation of occupation, in a state of their own." Then-Secretary of State C. Rice, October 12, 2006 www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/773549.html Learn history. It has never harmed anyone.

What you are saying is that your level of moral development has not reached the stage in which you are able to recognize a universal morality that consists of general principles that apply equally to all groups and individuals and you are fixated at a stage typical of pre and early adolescents in which it applies only to some selected groups or individuals whom you favor (no Jews need apply, right). Fortunately Palestinian athors like Khalidi don't share your willingness to rationalize away Jordan's responsibility for its destructive contributions: see Khalidi's book The Iron Cage, 2007, pp. 135-136 on King Abdullah and the Palestinians.

(I guess you are referring to my #86) "From what other area with Arabs have Jews not been ethnically cleansed in the ME?" (Der Zweifler) From Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. "How then do you explain the fact that Jordan made sure when it annexed the West Bank that it had not a Jew [left] in it?" (Der Zweifler) Why should I care to? Zionism is about Jews living in their own homeland, in peace with its neighbours. Jordan has made its peace with us. And its ruler is, and always was, the friendliest of them all. That's good enough for me. And it should be for you too. The dispute over the settlements is an argument over whether it is in Israel's interest to rule all the land from the sea to the Jordan river. In other words - whether Israel should stay forever the only democratic country to lord over a foreign and stateless population. Over nothing else.

"The NATION supports building in YeShA." (Y. Kohen) A most stupid claim. History has proved, more than once, that the biggest number can also be, sometimes, the biggest idiot. Remember how the Serbian nation supported Milosevic's wars against Croatia and Bosnia. "Why does intelligent mental process seem so often not to function?" (from Tuchman's 'The March of Folly') The historian Barbara W. Tuchman began her book "The March of Folly - From Troy to Vietnam" in these words: "A phenomenon noticeable throughout history, regardless of place or period, is the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests." Too bad your false teachers never told you how Milosevic's wars ended, nor anything about B. Tuchman. "She twice won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction, first for 'The Guns of August' and again for 'Stilwell and the American Experience in China'. In 1980 the National Endowment for the Humanities selected Tuchman for the Jefferson Lecture, the U.S. federal government's highest honor for achievement in the humanities." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Tuchman

I like the way you sanctimoniously descibe America and Germany in Afghanistan. The Washington Post reports today that the bombing of the hijacked fuel tankers killed at least twenty-four civilians, possibly many more, and the German newspaper Bild reports that the German defense minister has consistently attempted to obscure the truth of civilian deaths.

Why is Israel not a member of the Middle East seat in the UN? Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Tunisia, United Arab Republic, Morocco and Jordan are. And they have oil. All Jews should return to Israel and do teshuva :)

it enables Israel to expand its process of colonizing the West Bank because it is not followed by serious sanctions. Unless Israeli economy military and, alas, civilian sector is affected, the settlement expansion will continue - the American and European dismay notwithstanding

Maybe you were reading an out-of-town paper that doesn't cover much about Germany. Germany and the US and lots of NATO are fighting a war in Afghanistan because al Qaida launched an attack on a NATO member that was planned in Germany and Afghanistan. And the attackers were trained in Afghanistan where the leaders were given aid and comfort and refuge by the then-Afghan government, the Taliban. Germany is honorably keeping a treaty obligation, just as they did flying CAP patrols over the US in the wake of the 9-11 attacks. Why is it Israel can't keep treaty obligations?

I say let's continue building... Full speed ahead! After all, it is ridiculous to say that it is illegal to build housing on your own land. And, BTW, since when is Israel/Jerusalem part of the US? Israel is a sovereign state and does not need advice from the US!

Who is being cleansed? Where are they being shifted to? Which country is accepting them? How can it be ethnic cleansing when the Pal population in the WB is increasing?

stop talking nonsense. the u.s. is fighting a war against illiterate taliban thousands of miles from its shores for reasons no one can understand. the u.s. will lose that war just as it lost the war in viet nam. both wars were unnecessary wars. when men fight not for survival, they tend to lose.

Abram was an Iraqi migrant to Canaan. Ismael and Izaak were his sons by different wives. Ismael was the eldest but Abrahm named Izaak his heir and married him off to a cousin. Izaak begot Esau and Jacob. Esau was the eldest but Izak blessed Jacob to be his heir and married him off to a distant relative. Jacob became Israel and sojourned in Egypt. Moses collected the descendants of Israel to reclaim Canaan. Joshua completed the reconquest.

Obama is being terrorized by the Arab lobbyists in the US finaced by Arab/Isilamic oil money. likewise Britain and EU who, in addition, have been occupied by a huge Muslim population brainwashed by Al Qada trained Mullahs. The term 'settlements' has been hijacked by those who want to destroy the Jewish state and by those who are intimidated by these Jew haters. Obama, to be charitable, is in the latter group, as is clearly evident from his past church and organization membership; and the people he has elevated to US decision making. Israel, should henceforth desist from using terms such a settlements but insist on their actual names only. no matter where they are on the WB they are Israel. In fact Ramallah and Nablus are the illegal settlements. what exactly makes them legitimate? By what right do the arabs have a claim on Jerusalem? Lets hear about that in these Haaretz posts.

While you are boycotting you must also boycott all the drugs developed by Israel. Especially the one for Parkinsons. So if someone in your family has it they will have a good shake.

Enough of "no strings attached" money to Israel....

Israel doesn't receive economic aid from the US, that dwindled over the years and stopped altogether in 2007. Everything is military aid, most of which must be spent on US soil. That's a lot of jobs for the US to lose. Maybe you should call people with those jobs "leeches" too. I'm with you that any aid should stop. We'll also pursue the lucrative deals that the US pressures us to avoid.

It's time for the international community to speak with one voice,demand a Palestinian state and isolate Israel through sanctions.

Under International law, it is illegal for Israel to build settlements in the occupied teritories of the West Bank. The next step should be to begin sanctioning Israel.

Sometimes different ethnic groups simply cannot get along with each other. In that case, what's wrong with separating them? That's what happened with the creation of India and Pakistan. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it is a lot better than what existed before. In the case of Israel and the various Arab groups, what's wrong with moving populations to land they can live on in peace? Take a look at a map. Jordan has plenty of territory and relatively few people. With the creation of Pakistan, 10 of millions of people were moved out of India to the new country. Here we are talking about much fewer people.

The "world" doesn't vote in US elections; only registered US voters, like me, do. Moreover, given the nature of our government, the President must have the support of the US Congress to accomplish his agenda b/c they control the purse strings. So, while the "world" may continue to back Obama, if he doens't play US politics the right way, he will not be able to get his programs through Congress and he will be out of office soon. That is the political reality.

felix martin we have not asked for your approval.

sorry we do not use those words your lot may call it blasphemy.

Howdy David; "Marching on to the political & physical destruction of Israel!" People have been predicting that for the past 61 years without success. "Israel will pay a high price for its arrogance." Well, that's what the Islamic Jihadists keep claiming too, but so far, they have not been able to materialize or follow up on their threats. "Poor young soldiers who will be killed in future wars!" If there are any future wars, then there's going to be one-hell-of-a-lot more dead Muslims than Jews.

Israel with its current Netanyahu-Lieberman leadership is the barrier to peace. Ben Gurion warned that Israel would be judged by how it treats the Arabs. In 1968 Moshe Dayan opposed settlement-building because it would result in an extended occupation and hostilities which would unduly burden the Israeli nation. They were two wise people who foresaw the hazards of a radical, religous based expansionism. Netanyahu-Lieberman are pandering to that radicalism and endangering Israel.

Israel is a democracy and voted in the current government. It is clear that this government wants to expand settlements. Of course this makes negotiating peace very hard. So . . . the rest of the world concludes that peace is not high on this government's agenda. But this is the government Israelis chose. The rest of the world needs to respect their choice. Even if it disagrees with the result.

Israel is just trying desperately to drag this out as long as possible. Hoping Obama will not be re elected. Dream on Bibi--he is not going to give you that much rope. He will tire of your deceipt and obfuscation and will spring a nasty surprise on you in the not too distant future. Giving him the finger isonly going to backfire. But we understand bibi---the Illegal squatters are in charge---not you.

This is how Israel treats the UNITED STATES, without which it would be recognized throughout the world for the pariah state that it is; without which it would be brought to its knees by crippling economic sanctions placed against it by every country and society in the world; without which it would have to find some other suckers to back and finance their crimes. Now, just think how Israel treats Palestinians!

Do you wonder why the world community is starting to dislike you..

Obama`s popularity has been dropping like a stone in the US. Currently, only about 45% of American voters support him. He needs Israel`s friends on his side--badly. Thus, this is not a good time for him to bash Israel. ****************** If you're scared, you should be. Obama has virtually the whole world behind him.

O: "johnboy yes we do dissemble" Dissemble? The word you are looking for is "dishonesty", and few countries do "dishonesty" as well as Israel. o: "the pressure on us is great to do that we know is against our best interests," No, actually. What you THINK is against your best interests. o: "the land of eretz israel belongs to the jewish people." No, actually. You THINK it belongs to "the jewish people". o: "we will not stop building settlements." But who is "we", ombudsman? Because I will point out here and now that in this Great Settlement Enterprise "we" is "the state of Israel". Because, so sorry, even with all the best will in the world Netanyahu is still merely the "Prime Minister of Israel". He is most definitely not "the King of the Jews". Oh, sorry, do you think he is?????

Israel is no better than the rest of the countries of the Middle East when it comes to double speak. There is nothing new here. It just has reached a level of ridiculousness.

"The U.S. commitment to Israel's security is and will remain unshakeable," the White House statement reiterated on Friday. Yeah, that'll get 'em to stop building. Hee hee hee. "We share President Obama's concern that continued settlement growth will make it impossible to achieve a negotiated, peaceful two-state solution to the conflict, which is critical to Israel's future as a Jewish, democratic homeland," said (J-Street's) statement. Again: look at where even the "dovish" J-Street puts their priorities: on Israel! What this will mean for Israel! Who cares what it means for Israel? How about what it means for the United States, for Americans?

dozens killed in nato airstrike.what would johnboy roo mark lincoln et al have made of that had israel been responsible. things being what they are this story will be forgotten in 48 hours.no jews in the case.

The only Transparancy about the O'Bama administration Mideast Initiative is the transparency of him, with his "bowing" and begging in Cairo, with his hat in hand, and getting NO gestures from the Arabs. So, now he turns to that ever-available whipping boy,Israel, to give, give, give. RichFromTampa

yes we did johnboy.the jordanians fired at us and we attacked.rather opportune that i admit but so it was. refer my previous mail,the hills of judea belong to the jews.

in the white house will come from the weakening of obama in the polls.that continues apace.

thank you rob for that wonderful contribution.we know your lot exists that is why we are armed.

What you consider arrogance is disappointing. Israel is defending all their legal rights according to the laws of this century. The problem is, the mind set of this Century is really bizarre because all they have to do is read history and they will be able to see their faults.

the pressure on us is great to do that we know is against our best interests, if you neeed a more direct response then i will give it to you.the land of eretz israel belongs to the jewish people.we will not stop building settlements.as to the road map my response is not printable.

Four UN Security Council Resolutions and Two International Court of Justice Rulings in the Hague concluded that Israeli West Bank settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention (and are hence illegal under international law) . Under the 2003 Road Map which Israel signed w/out written reservations ,they committed to no settlement expansion including natural growth. Under the 1994 Wadi-Araba treaty w/Jordon, Israel committed to no forced demographic changes in East Jerusalem. The difference between a statesman and a politician is that a politician does whats politically right and a statesman just does whats right. Netanyahu is clearly a politician.

What is wrong with people wanting to live with "like minded people"? I would like to see the USA to use the Eisenhower approach on immigration into our country. Only allow those who cherish our way of life, religions,language and can contribute something of value other than physical labor. Multiculturalism has been every civilizations downfall and we still think we are smarter and not heed histories results. This should be a International belief system and then we can move to Israel.

Only Iranian nukes can prevent Israel using theirs in a future war.

You know i say let israel just go ahead and do its own thing. Just keep america out of this mess. I have been exposed to Israel's land grab mentality for a long time and I just want out for my country. Israel does not want peace it wants to expose my country supporting its ethnic cleansing. Let israel be isolated from the rest of the world and let it feel the pain

Israel will pay a high price for its arrogance. Poor young soldiers who will be killed in future wars!

"Can Israel be an Occupying Power if it deploys soldier and builds cities ON ITS OWN LAND?" (Michael) Please tell us, when did Israel declared its sovereignty over the West Bank AND ALL its population? And how come the non-Jewish inhabitants of the WB have yet been granted Israeli citizenship since June 1967? Or would you perhaps agree that denying citizenship to people for not professing the 'right faith' is the mark of an apartheid country?

why not ? south africa was not divided ! do not divide Palestine-Israel ! one country - one land - one people = arabs + jews + christians

CJK: "blackmail works both ways" USA: "Continued settlement activity is inconsistent with Israel's commitment under the road map." So it's *blackmail* when the USA tells Israel that it must honour its signature? How very revealing about zionist attitudes towards Israeli commitments: Yeah, sure, Israel SIGNED it! Sure, sure. But you never expected Israel to HONOUR it, did you? Sad for you Cipora but, yes, Obama expects Israel to honour its commitments. After all, signatures are meant to mean something.....

I get it. When you use the term "land-grab", you express the OPINION that the land does not belong to Israel, and therefore Israel is an Occupying Power. Can Israel be an Occupying Power if it deploys soldier and builds cities on its own land? The issue here is not international law, but your subjective opinion about which piece of land belongs to whom.

Did the Palestinians really demand that Israel leave all of Jerusalem? I don't think so. We really are not interested in Jewish West Jerusalem, only our own Arab East Jerusalem.

And what if God's judgement comes down in favour of the Palestinians?

Iran is no threat to the US, it's an inconvenience and possibly relevant to the US vis a vis Iraq and Afghanistan, only. Unless Israel is under imminent threat or actual attack, there is no reason to even take Bibi's calls. And Guam can be established as the sole point of entry to the US for anyone with an Israeli passport. That's more equal than the 3 categories the Israelis use for Americans, with different points of entry and other requirements based on race and ethnicity.

Without initial and continued support there'd be no Israel and if the US is pressed Israel may find itserlf out on a limb alone.

One is left with the thought that the response had been thought out long before. 'Regrets.' That is how someone who expected to be refused, expresses their response to their unrepentant lover. Will American Jews understand that regret? Will they understand that Netanyahu refuses any two state solution, any peace, any resolution? Or will they join Netanyahu and the 'black helicopter, death commissions, republicans in loathing Obama for seeking a better world? We shall see. But mean while the lines are drawn. Obama seeks peace and Netanyahu seeks Israel everywhere, or at least in Judea and Samaria. Obama seeks a two-state solution, and Netanyahu will only accept a one-state solution. A single state devoid of Arabs, and encompassing all of historic Judea and Samaria as well as the current Israel. I can see why Obama 'regrets.' Israel has just announced that peace is impossible, and compromise beyond consideration. Which is regrettable. It is also definitive.

Are you suggesting that the only objection by ME Arabs to Jewish presence is when it is imposed on them by a foreign occupation army (as you put it)? How then do you explain the fact that Jordan made sure when it annexed the West Bank that it had "not a Jew [left] in it" (Halkin, 2002). I have never been a big fan of the settlements, but I am not sure Gilder is incorrect when he says that "the dispute over the settlements is an argument over whether Jews may reasonably expect to be permitted to live among Arabs anywhere" (Israel Test, 2009, p. 26). From what other area with Arabs have Jews not been ethnically cleansed in the ME?

The continued expansion of illegal settlements has to be viewed as part of a perverted pathology and not just politics at play. To understand Jewish drive to colonize ALL of Palestine one has to appreciate the pathology at play here. The elders of the "Jewish People" ( translation, leaders), as history would clearly and undoubtedly indicate, have self-destructive tendencies - the Madoff and Masada complex all rolled into one. History is clear on this and the word "never enough" were never so true as it relates to certain Jews - in this case, Zionists. This process of endless expansion is on track to deliver another sad chapter to the "Jewish people". And history will show they "knew not when to stop". They knew not when to be content with their ill gotten gains. How this conflict ends is not in doubt, it's only a question of when. What is clear, Jewish history is not something that should give Zionists any comfort.

"The White House added that the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama "does not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement expansion and we urge that it stop....:. Don't you love the way it is framed, ie it is not the White House, or the US Government, or US public, only that pesky anti semite rogue President Obama who resists signing off on Israel's disgusting brutality.

Obama's popularity has been dropping like a stone in the US. Currently, only about 45% of American voters support him. He needs Israel's friends on his side--badly. Thus, this is not a good time for him to bash Israel.

until there is a crack in iran, there will be no freeze. there will be only a song and dance.

M: "Occupied territories? from whom?" The correct question is: by whom? Because 1) IF your army has established its authority over foreign territory 2) THEN that army is an "occupying power" and that foreign territory is "occupatied". It is completely immaterial to argue "occupied FROM whom?", because it is axiomatic that a expansionist power can - and in most cases will - deny that anyone else has a legitimate claim to the territory that it has seized. Which is why International Humanitarian Law doesn't even bother to argue with it. Instead, the only question it asks is: Q: Did your army seize it? A: Then your army occupies it.

We cannot continue to defy the world. The world will very soon start boycotting Israel, then we're done. This is a suicidal government with a suicidal policy... more dangeours than the Iranian threat. The Palestinian cause is a just cause. We must support it, otherwise we will perish. Peace NOW!!!

Occupied territories? from whom? Jordan, which lost the West-bank in war it started with Israel, does NOT want it back, Egypt, which lost the Gaza strip in a war it started with Israel, does NOT want it back. These territories are NOT occupied since their previous owners do not want them back...

Not only that, next time Bibi and Obama meet, Bibi gonna put his foot up on the chair, and he gonna say to Obama, "Boy, I wanta see myself in them. And I want to hear that shoe shine rag a poppin and a singin.

This is what happens when a neophyte like Obama interjects his naive views into the Middle east. Obama was promising Israel gestures from arab states. When they turned out to be nothing what he got from Israel were the sleeves from a vest - NOTHING. Obama is trying to to use this trumped up concern about settlements as a distraction from his acquiescence to Iran becoming a nuclear power. He is fooling no one. Israel will not wait and will act. No one is going to wait fro Obama's eulogy for an incinerated Israeli population.

Things Israel wants are regretably just not going to happen. No explaination. No announced quid-pro-quo. Nothing. Just Israel's bad luck, I guess. No idea why...

"The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies." The key phrase is "OR TRANSFER". Now, look again at this article: these apartments CAN NOT HAPPEN UNLESS BIBI APPROVES THEM. Get it? The Government of Israel is not simply a disinterested onlooker watching its citizens act like carpet-baggers and land-grabbers. No. The Government itself insists that it MUST APPROVE EACH AND EVERY LAND GRAB. Get it? Israel is the occupying power, and so it has AUTHORITY over this territory i.e. nobody can do anything without Israel's say-so. Art 49 clearly prohibits Israrel from giving the say-so to these apartments, because these apartments are a necessary requirment for any Israeli popln transfer. And any Israeli popln transfer is PROHIBITED. Look, Michael, simply remove the word "settlement" and replace it with the correct word: "colony". Does that help?

Again have some respect for a democratic country. Do you want all the undemocratic countries in the world to impose sanctions on a democratic country? Come on Harold say something sensible.

I don't know what planet you live on, but I don't really think that anyone in their right mind on this planet would suggest that the Israeli state bothered to negotiate purchase of the West Bank with the indigenous Palestinian landowners before indulging in illegal occupation and settlement in violation of UNSCR242 and article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention!

Well, it took 2 presidents and about a decade for US Administration to react to the illegal expansion of the aparthied regime as "unhelpful" to "Regrettable". Moving at this pace we might be able to bring peace in the middle East and security here probably in 50 years!

"they recently said that they required Israel to withdraw from all of Jerusalem as a pre-condition to any peace talks." (RfaelMoshe) Ridiculous. Mahmoud Abbas never said such a thing, nor did anyone else in his entourage.

Every right-thinking person has to regret this action by the Netanyahu government. After all, it simply represents more illegal taking that will have to be undone eventually and it burdens Israel's reputation more than it can handle. Is there anyone out there that supports Israel's actions other than right-wing nut jobs? I doubt it.

If this happens somewhere else, condemnation will be written all over it. Keep your regrets to yourself.

Use thre right term: Not "THE Jews" are building in the West Bank, but 'Jewish occupiers', protected by an Jewish occupation army. "We in Israel live with 1,000,000 Arabs and don't mind ... " (fredyr) Right, we don't. And here is why: Because they are not imposed on us by a foreign occupation army. You may not know that yet, but once we did mind, very much so, the presence in our midst of Christians - when they were wearing British uniforms. Until we got rid of them, in 1948.

And the next time you show up in Washington to demand those billions in loan guarantees, you're going to find the door slammed in your face. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1055585.html

The muslim community organizer sitting in the White House is too much of an idiot to realize that one catches more flies with honey than with vinegar. Israel has long (too long) been the U.S.'s lapdog, but at least it was a lapdog of a friendly Country. Now that the Muslim president of the U.S. has shown his bias against Israel, there is no reason for Israel to remain a U.S. lapdog. As with everything Obama has done thus far, his mideast policy is blowing up in his face. This embarrassing fraud of a President should be impeached.

Well, I have given this a great deal of thought. In 'The Land of Israel" including Yehuda and Shomron, the Jews are either back or in some areas they never left. Actually, Yehuda and Shomron are not "occupied territory." They are part of "The Land of Israel" that was liberated in 1967. The Government of Israel is being pressured to "freeze" building in parts of Israel including Jerusalem. This is nonsense. President Obama's "positive" polling numbers have dropped faster than any President ever. The United States has important domestic matters to resolve. Quite frankly I think President Obama has a nice cadence to his speech, but he is way out of his league in attempting to negotiate with Jews or Arabs. Let Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia kick in some land for a new Arab State. Call it whatever seems appropriate. Yehuda, Shomrom, Jerusalem.....Uvneh, Uvneh, Uvneh...Otam, Otam, Otam....

It would be a mistake to reward Palestinan intransigence and maximalism. When they recently said that they required Israel to withdraw from all of Jerusalem as a pre-condition to any peace talks, that was the green light for Israel to build in the West Bank as there is no peace with the Palestinians to be had at any real price. They are paving the way for another "Nakba."

Well Said. It is time for sanctions. Period

Your only making the problem worse and damaging your own countrys credibility

I agree with you. The world must impose sunctions against Israel right now. Netanyahu is not listening.

Broun, R-Athens, apparently has not changed his belief that President Obama may be a fascist since he made similar remarks in Augusta in November and then in an Associated Press interview. He told a meeting of the Morgan County Republicans on Wednesday night that Obama already has or will have the three things he needs to make himself a dictator: a national police force, gun control and control over the press.

The world is full of the seemingly impossible...Parallel lines intersect, dark matter, black holes. All of these at least seem somewhat comprehensible. However, I would never have believed that it would be possible for an Israeli government to drive the United States into the arms of the Palestinians.

And what makes you so interested in the Holy Land, you from Socosingo? So happens my whole family live in Israel and I'm there quite often. All Jews can call Israel their homeland. You, Valdez, are welcome to come to Israel and visit there in peace.

"....The White House on Friday said it "regretted".... It "regretted" ??? That's it ??? Well, the White House will soon have much more to "regret" if it can't come up with something better than "regretting". David

Elpido valadez. He can go to the W/Bank, Israel. He has a welcome home whenever he wants! But you ? You are stuck in whatever country you are? Where will you go,back to,after milking the land that you invaded,took by force,looted their treasures & raped their girls & women-folk ? Besides you also brought deseases unknown to them before your arrival.

A lot of people cite article 49 of the Geneva convention to support their claim that settlements are in violation of international law. In particular, this is the statement that they refer to: "The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies." Since Israel is not "deporting" or "transferring" Israelis into occupied territories, it does not violate the convention. Israelis buy land from their owners just like any American who buys a home in Europe.

Your post on Gaza water is correct. Gaza is truly an ancient city, continuously populated and has been served by a reliable aquifer over millennium collecting the meager rainfall of the western Negev. But Gaza's population has never in all history been this high .... never more than a tiny fraction this high. Gaza has a unique combo of one of the highest population densities on Earth, while simultaneously one of the highest population rates on Earth. Part of the astonishingly high birth rate is that Arab culture likes large families. The other is the official policy aimed at wombing'em if they cannot kill'em. Palestinian leadership believes that the world will eventually sort out the population bomb to Israel's disadvantage. Zero attention is paid to water/sewer since it would take precious money away from weapons and explosives. Does all this look like a problem? You ain't seen anything yet, harvey.

boyd et al: have some respect for a democratic country. you live in one. there are already 22 moslem countries in the region; i think thats correct. Israel represents less than 1% of the entire land mass of the middle east. about the size of the state of New Jersey. so keep it in perspective. America is huge. Why not give some land yourselves? Anyway do have some respect for a democratic country which is surrounded by an awful lot of undemocratic countries and 1 unstable democracy

Obama's "regret" is for public consumption and is just a wink and nod that the settlements are OK.

Hey Dudka, If this is your land then what are you doing in Brooklyn, go to the occupied West Bank so that you can fulfill your Jewish James Bond fantasies.

What the main issue the US President has tha he had promised on a televised speech to the "Muslim World" was like a promise he had made to them that HE will dictate to the Israeli government to freeze ALL settlements...period folloed by Hilliry Clinton. After that, everyone got onto the bandwagon and began to repeat, including the terrorist countries. Obama has created an regretable issue thinking that Israeli government will stop all work projects because he said so to appease the arab nations. Now, Abbas has the audacity to repeat the same sentence of Obama and now refuses to discuss peace not until there is a freeze in construction as an excuse. Fayed stated that he will in two years create his own borders, so why everyone go to Fayed & Abbas and pump some brains into their thick skull. Obama should look after the problems in the US instead of worrying about Israel. The US is going to the dogs and he cannot control it. He is a very eloquent speaker but does not have the vision.

U.S. WHY 'REGRETS' ? Go & try to bully N.Korea & Iran,instead of picking on Israel! And by the way.America & NATO will never defeat Afghanistan! Ask the former empire Britain & more recently Russia. Don't you people ever learn from history? After all YOU have invaded their country.,thousands of miles from your shores. Whereas the real culprits on the world stage are the N.Koreans & Bloodthirsty Iran. By the way: many of the tribes of the Pashtun claim that they are desendents of KING SAUL the first king of Israel. He was taller than most of his countrymen.You find the same charestics in the Pashtun. They are are also known as tenacious fighters!

The west and moderate palestinians factions are losing credibility...

The stupidity and blindness of Bibi and the Israeli right astound me. You really want to shove a finger in the face of the US President? He has the American people with him on this, even American jews. Persisting in the settlement project will eventually alienate American political and economic support. Do you really think you could survive this? Its like the zealots vs. Romans. Religious extremism will lead to the end of Israel.

Then the International Comunity should freeze all trade. The EU can take away all those nice little trading favours for starters.

Another slap in the face of our president Obama. How cheeky. The leeches do as they will demand that the US has keep its mouth shut. Name one strategic reason to tolerate this?

Good for you BeBe!!! Kudos!! "Don't let any of Obama's "mouth pieces" get in your way. Keep building those settlements in the West Bank! Who cares what Mitchell wants, Sarkozy,Abbas & the Arabs!! It's what Israel wants to do.

When will all of you realize that this is moral, legal and the way to make a lasting peace!

America should stop building. We all are on Indian land. Texas should go back to Mexico and Alaska back to Russia. The Jews lived in Israel from day one and the land belongs to Israel. Jews can build on the land that belongs to them. Obama is stepping out of his sphere of influence.

And push for one state solution. The Israeli government has never seriously accepted the 2 state solutions and it is clear it plays for time in order to establish facts on the ground. Since the land is under Israeli control there is little either the US or the international community can do to prevent Israeli manipulations has they been doing for the last 40 years. It is time to let Israel win this battle and go for a one state solution by allowing Jews to built all over the WB and grant the Palestinians full Israeli citizenship.

Why should Israel provide water to Gaa ? Does mexico to US ?? Gazans can buy less arms 7 rockets and build sewage treatment & water conservation plants and desalination plants. - but does not- , bombs or water for the people. The residents voted for Hamas .

So, there are already 2500 units that are approved and the work on those would not stop + some "more approvals" and then they will freeze settlement for 9 months. Well if I read between the lines then it seems that there would not be any actual settlement freeze. What Israel is proposing is that construction on 2500 units + some new approvals will go on and they will freeze ?sanctioning? of any more construction for 9 months. So, please someone make me understand how this would be a settlement freeze. It looks more like "I want to have my cake and eat it too". Obama have to understand that Israel is never for peace and we need to take some different approach than just talking while Netanyahu sits in America's lap (AIPEC) with a candy in his mouth!! And please stop saying "The U.S. commitment to Israel's security is and will remain unshakeable.? Why does it have to be unshakable? Israel will not bow to any demand unless they seriously believe that there would be repercussions.

What state or party is being breached by israel. You need to read and undertstand what is said. Isrtael has been very careful not to violate any part of world law. -- also look at San Remo Conference 1933, League e Of Nations law article and Mandate to learn Israel sits in its own land

It's too bad that our President has to waste time on trying to be the Israeli Housing Monitor.

Only two conclusions from this: 1. Israel is clearly the primary obstacle to peace in the Middle East. 2. The U.S. should cut off foreign aid grants to Israel. We and the Israelis simply don't have compatible interests anymore.

In answer to your question about Palestinians building in Israel. I have news for you. They already do. And I see no complaints from the rest of the world about Arabs' homes in Israel. Pretty one-sided if you ask me.

Renewed rocket fire from Gaza into Israel has no effect on any peace negotiations. Isthat what the White House is saying? Seems a bit one-sided to me, but the case always has been, as my father said when telling about the death of his father in 1905, "Jewish blood is cheap."

Use thre right term: Not "THE Jews" are building in the West Bank, but 'Jewish occupiers', protected by an Jewish occupation army. "We in Israel live with 1,000,000 Arabs and don't mind ... " (fredyr) Right, we don't. And here is why: Because they are not imposed on us by a foreign occupation army. You may not know that yet, but once we did mind, very much so, the presence in our midst of Christians - when they were wearing British uniforms. Until we got rid of them, in 1948.

Wow, anything to avoid meaningful peace talks. Do those new settlers have to sign a statement acknowledging that they will peacefully leave when a Palestinian state is created? The US and the EU need to impose a consequence for Israel's violation of international law!!

We'll freeze, but only in issuing permits, and meanwhile we'll have enough new construction for the next six months until the freeze ends. Netanyahu preserves the "bargaining chip," placates us Americans, makes good on his pledge to the settlers, and upholds his political identity. A truely master stroke. Everyone knows that the Pals are not interested in a side-by-side state. There is no "hat in hand" coming to the Jews to sue for peace. They don't respect Israel and so will never accept the Jewish state. Let's acknowledge that the Pals are a proxy army for arabs as well as europeans. The money and emotional support to keep the fight alive come from somewhere. Who says the Holocaust is over?

So, there are already 2500 units that are approved and the work on those would not stop + some "more approvals" and then they will freeze settlement for 9 months. Well if I read between the lines then it seems that there would not be any actual settlement freeze. What Israel is proposing is that construction on 2500 units + some new approvals will go on and they will freeze ?sanctioning? of any more construction for 9 months. So, please someone make me understand how would this be a settlement freeze. It looks more like "I want to have my cake and eat it too". Obama have to understand that Israel is never for peace and we need to take some different approach than just talking while Netanyahu sits in America's lap (AIPEC) with a candy in his mouth!! And please stop saying "The U.S. commitment to Israel's security is and will remain unshakeable.? Why does it have to be unshakable? Israel will not bow to any demand unless they seriously believe that there would be repercussions.

"What's the point of a peace process, if a process is all the Palestinians want? Of course loony leftists ignore that." (Ki'emli) Woe to Israel: The White House, until now our only ally, has been overtaken by loony leftists. "Why should we stop building?" (Ki'emli) For the very same reason we should never have started. See "Battle of the numbers: Jewish minority by 2020", [between ther sea and the Jordan river] by Professor Sergio Dellapergola, of the A. Harman Institute of Contemporary Jewry, the Hebrew U in Jerusalem, and Senior Fellow at the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute. www.a-ipi.net/article30324.html

Watch out Israel your leader is leading you down a treoublesome road...a road other than the roadmap. Time is an issue. Americans and American Jews will see that this is stalling and maybe a denial to even attempt peace. There's always country # 2--Syrian..Israel are you ready to give back the Golan?

As the only Jewish state in the world, it presumably shows Jewish values. No wonder Judaism gets a bad press around the world.

It's time to call a spade a spade here. Israel has never known peace, and deeply fears it. Consciously or unconsciously, she uses devices such as the settlements to keep it at bay. Left to her own devices, Israel will never allow peace to come about. She is going to have to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck, dragged to the conference table, and have her arm twisted until she signs. The only party that can exert this degree of coercion is the United States. Until we muster the moral courage to FORCE Israel to make peace, there will be no peace.

then Israel must be subjected to full and immediate economic sanctions, including the banning of the sale of all Petroleum Products. The banning of all flights to and from Israel, and the banning of the importation of Israeli produce and products. If Israel wants to act like Iran, then Israel should be treated like Iran

I think the sate of Palestien west bank and gaza should be incorperated into Israel but not haveing the country called Israel. I think it should be called Cannan... Just like the biblical one... It would be like Canada where Special status would be given to the jewish state (israel) and special status would be given to the Pal state... the country would be called the United States of Cannan... This way we would prove to g-d that two brothers can share the same land. And furthermore it would ensure that both parties still have Jerusalem as thier capitals... In a peacefull world this would be the best solution... But unfortuantly this dream of mine will not come to pass due to the human condition of punishing ones son for the sins of their parents...

Howdy Johnboy; What with the building of 2,500 housing units proceeding apace and with a few hundred extra permits being granted in the liberated areas (from Jordanian occupation) of Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem on Israeli or Jewish owned land under the right of re-establishment, what do you mean by, "he [PM Netanyahu] can`t *actually* deliver any of them"? It seems to me that Bibi has a better handle on realty than you do. You should also note that Netanyahu has also dismantled unauthorized settler "outposts". Israel does not need George "Dr. Freezo" Mitchell's approval to reclaim that which is hers nor to protect her citizens against the Palestinian terrorist scum. Erekat and the Obama administration can say that they find Israeli settlement construction to be "unacceptable", but without the border being nailed down, there really isn't much that they can do about it.

It is time for the White House to stop intruding in Israel's internal affairs. The Land of Israel belongs to the Jews since ancient time. Just as Spain liberated its historic homeland from the Islamist-Jihadist occupiers, Israel liberated its historic homeland from the Islamist-Jihadist occupiers in the 20th century. Judea and Samaria belong to Israel since ancient time.

There would have been a freeze in the west bank if the pals and americans accepted the freeze that Israel planned... Apparently the Pals would prefer no state unless it includes Jerusalem... So the only alternative is to continue contruction untill they are ready to give that condition up...

yeah..right! the messiah doesn't appreciate those who don't "obey" him- ever really look at his face when he's holding back the anger, when somebody gets to him? He'd have been a great student of uncle joe.

Derailing the peace process is a Netanyahu specialty. Does anyone remember Abu Ghnaim settlement and the tunnel under the Mosque?

Always was and always will be, untill international boycuts and sanctions start.

Samaria and Judea aswell, the ~palestinian myth serves only to feed the boneheads and antisemites of the world.

No condemnations of Britain as such

Bibis coalition is right wing and they will never agree to end all settlement expansion thats a simple fact. If Bibi agreed to do so then the coalition would breakup. He may be willing to form a coalition with Labour & if her ego allows it Kadima but that would probably cause Likud to overthrow him, chose a new leader like Moshe Felgin & call for new elections rather than join a left wing coalition. The public mood is for right wing leadership not more Kadima / Labour and Obama has made the right stronger through his anti Israel policies. We may even find ourselves with Liberman as PM because he has increased in popularity amongst the right The left must accept that the settlers & their allies are a powerful force and even the left can't fully freeze settlement expansion especially in Jerusalem. Livni may be able to preach from opposition but in givernment its another story. Israels system does not allow for any government to fully betray the settlers no matter.

When Bush puts his foot in Iraq and call off the ww3. So bush turns out a peace dove, calling for democracy and talks with the tyrants, e.g Iran. So if you dont want to hear, its your problem, because Israel will continue to grow unti the Greater Israel is finished for complete.

The Prime Minister was elected with a mandate to defend Israeli and Jewish rights including the right to live and build in any part of Israel. This decision to approve new homes is the only one he could take consistent with his obligations as the leader of a democratic country. If Abbas does not want to negotiate with the Prime Minister that is his loss. Maybe he does not really want a Palestinian state after all?

What will this madness of occupying more and more palestinian lands achieve but resentment and hate and more obstacles to peace. The fact is no matter how many Jews will live on arab land, at the end they will have to accept to be palestinian citizens as no one will accept for Israel to annex it. can you please get rid of this PM and the russian stooge..Ridiculous state of affair really and what is awful is NO ONE IS LAUGHING!

bring on the violins

... it should be asked what for him is the antonym for the "freeze". Obviously, it is the Greater Israel spreading right to Euphrate river, as Max Bodenheimer with Herzl were intending to ask Kaiser Wilhelm II, or rather more topographically ambiguous tune "On both sides of Jordan river", which Netanyahu's father, Jabotinsky's secretary, sung for lil Bibi in the cradle. Surely, in the context of those wet Zionist revisionist dreams, even a swift settlement on 100% of the WB is a O°C "freeze". Netanyahu is pulling out a crudest infantile kind of semantic machination, in which he "limits" his colonial enterprise by legalizing all possible meanings of "natural growth", making gesture of "restraint" to Obama that he's "freezing", but oh, only for few months and oh, only not in Jerusalem, and oh yes, excluding from this "freeze", another few hundred houses, and yeah, this unprecedented "concession" must be met by the territorial ones in Palestinian side. Welcome to Judenstaat, Obama

Nothing has changed on the part of Israel. The Palestinians have the upper hand and the understanding of the international community while Israel is seen by all to be in complete violation of its obligations. There is no will for peace in Israel and it is isolating itself by its commitment to expansionism. It is making a catastrophic historical blunder.

the question here is whether these are positions to enter the negotiations with a tough hand and use them to wring maximum concessions or ultimate positions.....greater clarification should become available within days once details regarding the israel -us negotiations are published.....until such time--- hold your fire

What the lairs are really saying is "withdraw". Let's be clear: Never.

Bibi's embracing and violating the freeze rhetorically at the same time is a masterful bit of double talk.Fortunately the world is not so naive as to be fooled as Bibi attempts to satisfy the Right and Left with sillinesss.Either Israel ceases creeping annexation or it stops. there is no middle ground except duplicity.

is going to take 2 things--the carrot from the Arab world and the stick from the non-Arab world. Right now there is no incentive for Israel to ask other than not wanting to offend Washington. It has too much support in Washington for that to be a real incentive. So this is going no where.

Abbas, you are buildingin the West Bank and Gaza so why can't the Jews. We in Israel live with 1,000,000 Arabs and don't mind, so why don't you want Jews in your neighbourhood. Are you a Racist?

Senior members of Fatah, the so-called "moderates" have already declared that Fatah will NEVER recognize Israel. What's the point of a peace process, if a process is all the Palestinians want? Of course loony leftists ignore that and they ignore any other Arab transgressions. For them, the peace process will never be about what concessions both sides can make. It will always be what concessions has Israel made lately.

the arabs should demand the zionist go back to that partition if zionist dont, then they should claim all the land Palestine and recognize it as such.

For a few YEARS already, the occupied Westbank has been quiet. Abbas has proven he could stick to his word and fight terror. Now where are the Israelis? What excuse do they have left? Now the only tactic seems to be is to stall, to 'discuss options', to 'make declarations of intent', etc. in short: 'to BS our way out' As long as there is no terror coming from the Westbank, Israel will hinder all progress in the peace process by empty words. Now the entire world knows the true intentions of Israel: apartheid in the occupied territories, slow and silent ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians and impunity against the law and heavy financial support for the settlers. But now the American Jewish backbone of the Israeli occupation is starting to find out it has been lied to the last four decades. Israel does NOT want peace, it wants LAND. The usual demand 'first an end to the terror then we will talk peace' proves to be a lie. Chances are slowly dwindeling for the illegal settlers.

Soon Netanyahu will handle the US a "victory" by agreing that he will not aprove any more "west bank build", but 'only' allow for those constructions that are already in the making. Haven't the PA learned anything????

What doesn't our PM understand about the occupation being both illegal and evil? He is taking us to hell real fast. Israel is Goliath and Palestine is David... how ironic. The world sees it; even the US does. Mr. PM, you are taking us down in flames. Peace NOW!!!

Netanyahu smelled blood in Obama's lack of serious pressure and went for the kill. The ball is in Obama's court, if he capitulates then Abbas better stay home or find a new residency in Tunisia because nothing is going to happen if the U.S. can not enforce a settlement freeze then how can it enforce both sides to agree to an equitable settlement?

Best news I've heard in a long time. BUILD TO THE SKIES!!!! It's your land do as you wish.

Dear Compatriot If Israel stands for the jews, the Swiss governement stands for dealing with with the worst abuser of human rights (Iran),giving in to pressure from outside (vs USA) and appologizing to dictators (Libya). I doubt that this represents something you are prouwd of. Stop moralizing about Israel while we live in country which is ruled by a group of weak and mediocre personalities.

What are you going to do with the millions of Arabs that also live in your 'new Israel' ? give them citizenship? And lose the Jewish majority? please your answer!

If there would not be a freeze,things will get warm,and then they will boil,and then the rain will come,rain of Qassams and Katyushas,bombs and missiles,and when it will be over and we have counted the dead on both sides,we will talk about freeze.

Why should Israel freeze building in its own country just because the Arabs want it the land and our Muslim pleasing president goes along, The only thing I worry about is if Israel spends so much money and effort to build on land which will be stolen from it and t will end up like Gaza.

the UN is a part of the Quartet, so UNSCR do apply. There is nothing the US can do about that. Bibi may think himself smart, but he is proving that he is the most stupid PM that Israel has ever had. His "all or nothing", is of course going to end up with nothing, at best, for Israel. There will always be "before Cast Lead and after Cast Lead" for Israel and that means that the rules have changed. To take on the most popular President in US history one shouldn't be the most depraived PM of Israel, it spells disaster. Is really the construction of a couple of thousand housing projects worth it?

A real freeze doesn't appear to be on the horizon,but neither does a real normalization by the Arab world. # 1 priority in in Bibi's mind is to keep his coalition from unraveling.

Bibi is just playing his cards.He knows he has to negotiate,and he wants to have something to bargain with.He is filling up the freezer before he turn it on.He seem to do just fine.No freez in EJ,and some new homes,and why can he do that?because the Palestinians do NADA!!!

First of all "the americans wants a 9 month freeze" is just a darn lie, but part of Israeli Hasbara. Nine month into final negotiations the Israelis starts building again, yeah that makes sense. 2500 constructions to go on, well that isn't going to happen. Opening Arab airspace to Israel, not in my life time. When you eat the cake, the cake will be gone.. voila. The Bi-National state is an ongoing construction. Both sides play there part well and then civil disobidience and the call for "one man one vote" will ring "from the river of jordan" etcetera. The Israeli tactic of "facts on the ground" ius part of this construction of the Bi-National state. Here and there and everywhere, but the "price" will be an undemocratic state in internal chaos. Shooting Palestinian children in the street in Nablus or Ramallah is one thing, but in Tel Aviv it will be seen by the public and the world. Israel is at a junction and the train has left. The Greater Israel will have a 50% non-jewish population.

nick griffin the chairman of the british national party was charged with incitement to hatred when he gave out literature that provoked racial hatred. how is that different from the aftenblat report? it is not an issue of free speech if your words are seen as incitement to race hatred.

It is all about changing facts on the ground, and Mr. Netanyahu is in a race against time, before President Obama's presumed declaration of the Peace Plan in his General Assembly speech. The Israeli government knows it has to make compromises; if not for the sake of peace, for the sake of keeping good relations with the Washington administration, and the settlements issue; despite the media hype and otherwise, is really an insignificant price to pay to keep the friendship with President Obama.

Facts on the ground, as usual. But how can anybody even think that this foolish actions can get any kind of agreement any closer? ALL SETTLEMENTS HAVE TO BE DISMANTLED in a two state solution. But does anybosy really think that Israel wants a two state solution or rather a one-state and few bantustans surrounded by Jewish settlers?

It. Is. As. Obvious. As. Bibi: I've approved 100's of new houses! Fools: Great! When do we start building? Bibi: [mumble] [mumble] [mumble] Bibi: The freeze will only be for 6 months! Fools: Great! And then we restart building? Bibi: [mumble] [mumble] [mumble] Bibi: East Jerusalem is exempt! Fools: Great! Obama agreed, did he? Bibi: [mumble] [mumble] [mumble] Bibi: All existing construction will continue! Fools: Great! Obama agree to that too? Bibi: [mumble] [mumble] [mumble] Get the picture? Bibi is promising a whole heap o' goodies, and hoping like Hell that he can find a way out when it finally dawns on people that he can't deliver any of them.

... and Lieberman wants to expel non-Jewish Arabs (!) - but of course not be guilty of ethnic cleansing. Hey, Mr. Obama, you and all of us are being taken for a ride by Bibi + Co. And in the end he'll even make you feel good about it...

BD: "He is listening to the people who voted for him!" No, he is throwing out sweeteners to his support base and hoping they don't notice that those sweets can't be unwrapped. He is "approving" new housing, but they can't actually be *built*... He is insisting on a "time limit" on the freeze, without securing any understanding on regarding when that time runs out... He keeps insisting that East Jerusalem is exempt, but can't show any agreement over this... He keeps insisting that "existing construction" will continue, yet he can't produce the American signature to back that up... Or, in short: he is bombastically announcing Lots Of Things, and hoping that nobody notices that he can't *actually* deliver any of them.

why should we stop building on lands belonging to eretz israel.build build and build again.

If they start building new home then it is not a freeze. What kind of PR stunt is he trying to pull?

All words and more BS. Israel does what it wants and buys time whenever it can. peace in this region is an absolute joke without both parties ditching their religeons. You want to blame something for this mess? Blame religeon.

Israel is THE representative of the Jewish people worldwide. If the state of Israel continues to act in a "tricky/untrostworthy" way, the Jewish Diaspora (including Abe Foxman + Co.) should address no one else but their Israeli brothers, if anti-Jewish stereotypes continue to flourish all over the world..... At least in this case the state of Israel is bringing it (bad image) upon the Jewish people indeed.

So as not to change the status quo in the disputed areas.

A short moratorium after okaying a few hundred more units? How absurd! If someone lent Nuttyahoo a spine, would he know what to do with it?

Bibi wants it both ways: placate the extremist right wing settlement sympathizers, and seem to cooperate with Obama's request for a settlemnt freeze. Double talking politician that he is, he can't really have it both ways, and has only solidified his reputation as as a double talking politician. Too bad, because Israel is at a crossroads: further alienation from the international community, more decades of strife, climbing out on a limb with boastful land grabbing, or coming to terms with reality. Bibi, when will you ever learn, yuo can't have your cake and eat it too.

Nobody can claim to be in favor of a peace agreement and continue to settle Jews in the West Bank. Netanyahu is full of it. Down with him and his government.

I suggest you read the Quoran and the charters of Fatas and the PA before talking about religious extremism. Jews are condemned in the first of these and the other two call for extermination of the Zionist entity. Or maybe you do not read Arabic. If not, start reading history and maybe read of how the Jews of Medina were slaughtered by Mohammed and continue onwards to the pogroms of Jews in Hebron and Tel Aviv in the 1920s and in Jerusalem between 1948 and 1967 when Jordan ruled the land.

We left butifull settlements in Sinai and Gaza. All fell into horrible slums in the hands of the new tenants.

The Left lost the election.

Does any Israeli care? The UN says about 10,000 Gazans have no access to a water network - while about 60% of the 1.4m population receive water only intermittently. Water consumption in the Strip is less than a third of that of Israelis living just a few kilometres away."BBC news

- - - for "Palestinians" in "Israel" ?

The territories which are IN DISPUTE have a population of both Jews and Arabs. The Obama-Clinton-Mitchell trio demands, despite clear understandings between the previsou US and Israeli governments to the contrary, that Jews and only Jews cease constructing houses, not enter to reside in certain towns, villages and neighborhoods. Such a demand by the Trio regarding Jews, simply becasue they are Jewish, is racist, anti-Jewish racist, and this child should be called by its name.

this is fantastic news, bibi is sticking the finger up at obama and the world, showing israel true face.

And it should come as no surprise either. The government (except for Labor,and they don't matter: The government can exist without them) supports building in YeShA. The NATION supports building in YeShA. And with a population growth three times that of Israel as a whole, there is a huge need for it.

If that's the bottom line, all the rest is just meaningless twaddle... We'll just see more of the dreadful, fatal same...

The Palestinians have repeatedly indicated their displeasure at contnued settlement activity because it bypasses the peace process and persists in a course of action which will alter the ultimate settlement. Or Israel will fnd itself in the situation they were in Yamit, having to disassemble what they constructed with false confidence. It is a dilemma. To freeze building may be construed as collapsing to Palestinian and world pressure. To persist will simply make things harder, and force Israel to eventually acknowledge it's error thru destroying what it so brazenly built on other people's land. Bibi is at a crossroads and making an historic error.

Is Natanyahoo for real? Maybe he's joking. Does he think we are stupid? This is a non-starter. Yet another proof that israel DOES NOT want peace. They just want Palestine without me in it. Very distressing news... if true. I wish Obama does not fall for this garbage.

There was a time, long ago, when this sort of thing could be done. That time is past -- the act is known everywhere as soon as if happens, and there are no more mirrors to move around and create illusions that it isn't being done/hasn't been done. While politicians strive for opacity, their actions are transparent. Mr. Netanyahu is an anachronism. He may be brilliant at playing internal power moves but, like Obama, once you're the leader you then have to deal with the real world...the whole world...the outside world...and it is watching.

Thats the equivalent of hamas agreeing to stop rockets for 9 months, except for 3000 rockets already planned for firing, and 2000 rockets the told the US about 2 weeks ago. But they will announce a moratorium on rocket firing in 9 months time.

The Israeli state continues to violate International Law and article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention with it's unabated building of settlements in occupied territory - subtle warnings and diplomacy apparently cuts no ice with deluded people of a theocracy that thinks it has a God given right to indulge in occupation, colonialism and oppression in violation of the values of the free and democratic world, so now it's time for the free and democratic world to up the ante and impose economic sanctions on Israel until it sees the light!

If you want to know what is the result of religious extremity in society - look no further than this where the religion controls the state.

Bibi is not acting like an Obedient dictator. The US should overthrow him and install a Jewish Shah

The housing and infrastructure are being built on palestinian land which Israel will soon have to give up. In a way this is a blessing in disguise.

Do you Israelis want peace or not?? Your true motives are becoming more apparent every day. Keep acting clueless as to why the international community has lost sympathy for you.

This just delays the inevitable...two states or one

My God's bigger than your God.

If this is true then I have only one word to say - HALELUYA.

So he will approve hundreds of additional new homes first, continue building 2500 other illegal homes, and continue building more "schools" and "other facilities"...and this is supposed to be his idea of a "settlement freeze" (and only for a few months to boot)? Is this some sort of joke?

A whole sh...t load of kindergartens huh???