By Ted Belman
Forbes published a story by AP, Israel OKs 1,600 new homes in east Jerusalem, which contained a lot of incorrect and biased statements.
- Israel approved the construction of 1,600 new homes for Jews in disputed east Jerusalem on Tuesday -
Ramat Shlomo, where the homes are to be built is not in “east Jerusalem” but northern Jerusalem. It is therefore excluded from the freeze. It is also a long established Haredi neighborhood that is desperate for new housing.
- The U.S., like the Palestinians and the rest of the international community, believes that Israeli settlements built on lands claimed by the Palestinians, including east Jerusalem, undermine peace prospects. President Obama has been more outspoken on the issue than his predecessors.
So what if they are “claimed” by the “Palestinians”. They are also claimed by the Israelis but note how AP didn’t say that. What’s more Israel is in control.
These units are not in east Jerusalem in any event.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rebuffed calls from the White House to halt all settlement activity, agreeing only to a limited freeze that does not include east Jerusalem.
More confusion. The limited freeze doesn’t apply to all of Jerusalem. Israel makes no distinction.
- Israel captured both areas in the 1967 Mideast war and subsequently annexed east Jerusalem. Israel considers its east Jerusalem neighborhoods to be part of its undivided capital, but the annexation has never been internationally recognized and the neighborhoods are widely seen as settlements.
The lands annexed were east of the greenline. All such lands are part of Jerusalem and have been for over forty years.
- But Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the move was destroying trust needed to go forward with the new round of indirect peace talks,
That’s bullshit. Israel has repeatedly asserted it would not freeze construction so there was nothing new here that might destroy trust.
- The announcement threatened to embarrass Biden, whose visit is aimed largely at repairing the relationship with Israel.
Why should he be embarrassed. The US had accepted the fact that Jerusalem was excluded from the freeze.
Finally, there is confusion as to what “east Jerusalem” encompasses. Israelis think the Arabs are referring to Arab east Jerusalem. What they are really referring to is that part of Jerusalem east of the greenline on which 300,000 Israelis live..
- Biden’s public comments throughout the day had clearly been meant to calm Israeli concerns that Obama has been less friendly to the country than past U.S. leaders.
Of course he is less friendly. To claim otherwise ignore that Obama has declared all settlements illegal and has come down on the side of the Saudi Plan and the division of Jerusalem.
- Biden … assured Israelis they can count on strong U.S. backing as peace efforts finally resume.
Biden was lying. The US has given a document to the Arabs in which Obama assures them that Israel must meet his expectations or he will blame them. The only thing the US is backing is what she wants, which unsurprisingly, is most of what the Arabs want.
- The relationship between the two allies, Biden told reporters as he stood beside Netanyahu, has always been a “centerpiece of American policy.”
“Progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows there is simply no space between the United States and Israel,” Biden said.
More lies. The US is forcing Israel to do what it doesn’t want to do and is preventing her from bombing Iran.
- “The United States will always stand with those who take risks for peace,” Biden said, telling Netanyahu, “you’re prepared to do that.”
It used to be that the US confronted her enemies rather that appeased them. On the contrary, one shouldn’t “take risks for peace”. Israel has taken enough risks for peace to her detriment.
- Obama began his term with a push for Mideast peace, prodding Israel to freeze its construction of West Bank settlements that swallow up land the Palestinians want for a future state.
Israel also claims the land. At least the report didn’t describe the land as “Palestinian” land as most reports do.
- Biden offered assurances that the U.S. remained committed to Israel’s security. Iran appeared to loom large in Biden’s discussions with Netanyahu. “We are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” he said.
How can forcing Israel to give up land needed for her security be reconciled with the alleged commitment to Israel’s security. If the US really had such a commitment, she would support what Israel thinks it needs for security. No one buys the argument that the US is determined to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
Finally, what most people thin of as “east Jerusalem” is Arab east Jerusalem. What the Arabs mean as “east Jerusalem” is all lands annexed by Israel that are east of the ‘67 armistice lines.
Hi, Ted
I read the following, then just skimmed over the rest:
The above is all I needed, to see that the 1600 units, which the world press is calling a proactive move on Israel’s part to defy the US and botch the “peace” accords, was instead ordinary, daily business by the people of Israel that was deliberately used by the Obamarabians and their media slaves to proactively attack Israel. If Israel hadn’t approved 1600 housing units in Hareidi North Jerusalem, they would have snatched at a new shopping mall in Tel Aviv.
I wonder why BO pulled off this mini-burning-of-the-Reichstag now, such a long time before elections. You mentioned in another article, that he’s getting desperate. I will read that article next.
Thank you for the information.
Shalom shalom
Comment by BlandOatmeal — March 13, 2010 @ 10:17 am
THE INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF JEWS AND CHRISTIANS is a great organization that could help HOUSE the homeless Israeli citizens in such homes……..
I LOVE THE STATE AND PEOPLE OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL and pray for them to be protected against all enemies, foreign and domestic. it doesn’t matter what the world community thinks!
the God of Israel still loves the people of Israel and those who remain faithful to Him and His Torah Laws……..
I don’t trust any Christian, Catholic, Islamic, UN, or US group of people who make peace with Israel’s enemies at the cost of Israeli blood, sweat and tears.
Too many innocent Israeli citizens have suffered as a result of too many Slum Monkey Trillionaires like Obama who just don’t have a clue that arming Israel’s enemies will cause the whole world to fall.
Comment by Michael Sunstar — March 13, 2010 @ 11:56 am
I would like to see THE TORAH BORDERS implemented and all UN treaties declared null and void before GOD’S LAWS.
Comment by Michael Sunstar — March 13, 2010 @ 11:57 am
I love the land and State of Israel!
Comment by Michael Sunstar — March 13,2010