Biden slams Palestinian silence
By Catherine Hardy | With REUTERS, AFP, APTN



"The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts"

RAMALLAH: -- The US Vice President has criticised those who fail to condemn attacks on Israeli citizens.

Joe Biden made his comments during a visit to the Middle East that has been overshadowed by violence.

In Jerusalem, Israeli security forces shot and killed two Palestinians they say had opened fire and wounded another man.

A third was shot dead in the West Bank.

The deaths come after a 28-year-old American tourist was stabbed to death on Tuesday.

179 Palestinians, 28 Israelis and 2 US citizens have died since violence began to surge last October.

28-year-old Taylor Force was a former soldier with the US military who had served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

11 people were wounded in the attack.

Joe Biden met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

Biden is angry that the Fatah Party has not spoken out against the violence.

He insisted condemnation must come from the top:

“Let me say in no uncertain terms, the United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts.”

Biden has held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

They discussed plans for further US defence aid to Israel.

Congressional aides say Biden is handling the negotations as relations between Netanyahu and Obama are poor.

A surge in violence

Violence has surged since Biden’s arrival in Israel on Tuesday as part of a regional tour. Three Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces.

Palestinian leaders say many Palestinian attackers act out of desperation in the absence of a committed plan to create an independent state.

Israel claims they are being incited to violence by their leaders and on social media.

28 Israelis and two US citizens have died in the violence, which began last October. At least 179 Palestinians have been killed, 121 of whom Israel says were attackers. The others died during protests.

Biden also met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before travelling on to Jordan.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-03-10

Good for Joe. It is about time that someone in this administration supported

Israel. The Islamic terrorists are out of control.

"179 Palestinians, 28 Israelis and 2 US citizens have died since violence began to surge last October."

Looks like Joe's got the wrong end of the stick.

Not only do they not condemn, they praise the murderers and pay them and their families generous sums out of money donated to them by the U.S and EU. It is high time to cut all funding to the Palestinians and freeze any bank accounts belonging to their criminal leaders.

"179 Palestinians, 28 Israelis and 2 US citizens have died since violence began to surge last October."

Looks like Joe's got the wrong end of the stick.

Uh, I don't think the Israelis are in the habit of strapping bombs to themselves. They well may be, however, better shots.

"179 Palestinians, 28 Israelis and 2 US citizens have died since violence began to surge last October."

Looks like Joe's got the wrong end of the stick.

I disagree - but he needs to grasp the stick at both ends. The Palestinian action is wrong, but is a response to the equally inhumane, barbaric action of Israel and in IDF.

Evil resides in the hearts of the leaders of both sides.

Herzog the opposition leader said to Biden that the only way to stop the Palestinian terrorists is to build a wall round the settlements. I tend to agree. There will of course be the usual hypocritical whining from the EU, whilst EU member states frantically build fences to keep out millions of Muslim migrants.

http://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Herzog-to-Biden-Jews-will-continue-to-be-murdered-if-we-dont-separate-from-the-Palestinians-447479

Edited March 10, 201610 yr by Steely Dan

Herzog the opposition leader said to Biden that the only way to stop the Palestinian terrorists is to build a wall round the settlements. I tend to agree. There will of course be the usual hypocritical whining from the EU, whilst EU member states frantically build fences to keep out millions of Muslim migrants.

http://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Herzog-to-Biden-Jews-will-continue-to-be-murdered-if-we-dont-separate-from-the-Palestinians-447479

How about clear the illegal settlements? That should go a long way to salving the Palestinians' anger and show the world that the Israelis are willing to compromise and abide by international law?

NOTHING has solved the Palestinians anger for the last 70 years. The settlements are just another excuse. They started the violence in the first place. They ve put THEMSELVES in this situation.

Edited March 10, 201610 yr by Ulysses G.

NOTHING has solved the Palestinians anger for the last 70 years. The settlements are just another excuse. They started the violence in the first place. They ve put THEMSELVES in this situation.

They are a clear source of anger, and they sully the reputation of Israel in international eyes. There are many good reasons for removing them. Can you give a good reason for keeping them (not trying to be provocative - I simply cannot fathom any justification other than a land grab)?

NOTHING has solved the Palestinians anger for the last 70 years. The settlements are just another excuse. They started the violence in the first place. They ve put THEMSELVES in this situation.

They are a clear source of anger, and they sully the reputation of Israel in international eyes. There are many good reasons for removing them. Can you give a good reason for keeping them (not trying to be provocative - I simply cannot fathom any justification other than a land grab)?

The Palestininians refuse to make peace and tell themselves that they can outwait the Israelis. The settlements are a reminder that the longer they wait, the more land they lose.

NOTHING has solved the Palestinians anger for the last 70 years. The settlements are just another excuse. They started the violence in the first place. They ve put THEMSELVES in this situation.

They are a clear source of anger, and they sully the reputation of Israel in international eyes. There are many good reasons for removing them. Can you give a good reason for keeping them (not trying to be provocative - I simply cannot fathom any justification other than a land grab)?

The Palestininians refuse to make peace and tell themselves that they can outwait the Israelis. The settlements are a reminder that the longer they wait, the more land they lose.

What if the settlements are one of the reasons that the Palestinians don't want to make peace? Surely someone has to make a bold move to break the stalemate?

The Israelis have all the power, all the might, and a good deal of the land. What they are losing, though, is the patience of the rest of the world.

biden better goes and slams his pink a..s along with aggressor israel too!

This article absolutely nails it. When the Palestinians are offered concessions they reject them and the press ignores them. The inescapable conclusion is the whole Palestinian so called identity is inextricably linked with the aim of destroying Israel as a Zionist state. Were that possible they would not wait a single day before merging with Jordan.

https://www.commentarymagazine.com/foreign-policy/middle-east/israel/why-it-doesnt-matter-what-israel-does-netanyahu/

"179 Palestinians, 28 Israelis and 2 US citizens have died since violence began to surge last October."

Looks like Joe's got the wrong end of the stick.

Uh, I don't think the Israelis are in the habit of strapping bombs to themselves. They well may be, however, better shots.

The Israelis also don't locate rocket launchers in school playgrounds and then cry foul when a missile arrives from the other direction.

If the current U.S administration had any interest in Palestinian accountability they would be pushing for Abu Mazen to be indicted at the ICC for incitement to murder. This is all common knowledge in the Middle East, yet nobody outside the region has a clue.

http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/middle-east/israeli-palestinian-relations/palestinian-dissident-the-palestinian-authority-is-like-george-orwells-1984-19624

P.S along with other changes in the Middle East I think the chickens are coming home to roost for the Palestinian leaders.