Britain slams Israeli decision to expand settlements in West Bank

[Ulysses G.]

All i read on here from the pro Israel lobby (for want of a better term) is defense of war crimes, defense of breaches of the Geneva convention and the defense of the mass slaughter of innocent.

The new defense/excuse is that it's "karma".

Karma for Arabs starting the violence in the first place. Karma for refusing to work out a compromise with the Jews to live side by side. Karma for refusing the UN deal that would have given BOTH peoples their own land and their own county. Karma for declaring war on Israel for accepting the UN plan. Karma for decades of terrorism where the Palestinians targeted innocent men, women and children. The Palestinian Arabs have a LOT to answer for.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[Scott]

Numerous off-topic posts and replies have been removed. The nonsensical, emotional nature of these topics will not be permitted.

I suggest that you re-read the OP and post according to the article. Failing to do so will result in suspensions.

You have been warned.

[sendintheclowns]

You keep repeating that "The Palestinians NEVER HAD A COUNTRY." That's utter BS and you know it. There was never a country called "Native America" either. Yet Native Americans lived in North America for thousands of years. That is, until the Europeans came and stole all their land and killed about 99.9% of them.

Sorry sonny, but you have it all backwards. The Jews came in peace and tried buying barren land legally for Jewish immigrants to live. Thes Arabs started attacking THEM. In fact, they were the ones that tried forcing them from the land that they had bought and improved by making the desert bloom.

The Palestinians never had a country and if they keep trying to get their way by VIOLENCE, they never will have one. They will just keep losing like they have for the last 70 years.

Utter nonsense.

I would gladly tear apart every single sentence in your pseudo history, but I feel we would be drifting off topic.

Every European colonization has created its own mythology to justify its land theft and repression of the indigenous population...we were bringing civilization/Christianity/whatever to the savages and they just didn't appreciate our kindness. Israel and its apologists are no different.

I agree Absolutely. Please educate yourself on the financing of the Jewish refugees from WW2. The proposition that each of these Jewish refugees - who barely had the skin on their backs, after the Nazis finished with them, had the money to buy land, is an outright lie. Europe, especially Britain, paid some Jewish land brokers, to get rid of what they thought of as untouchables.

And by the way, use the correct terminology, when you accuse one of the posters as spouting anti-Semitic tropes. Wilkipedia defines anti-semitism as : prejudice against, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews as an ethnic, religious, or racial group. Just about every poster here protesting against the land grab by Israel might be called anti-Israeli......but it is a knee-jerk reaction ( and a typical mistake of Israeli apologists) to call them anti-Jewish.

[sendintheclowns]

Yes, disgusting, but unfortunately not rhetoric but the truth.

Only to the kind of people that think no one has ever walked on the moon, the earth is flat and that 9/11 was an inside job. The lunatic fringe.

Good one! But now I have nothing to be paranoid about. Oh, wait! There's still the possibility that Donald will get bumped off by the Koch Brothers,

before becoming POTUS.

[JingerBen]

You keep repeating that "The Palestinians NEVER HAD A COUNTRY." That's utter BS and you know it. There was never a country called "Native America" either. Yet Native Americans lived in North America for thousands of years. That is, until the Europeans came and stole all their land and killed about 99.9% of them.

Sorry sonny, but you have it all backwards. The Jews came in peace and tried buying barren land legally for Jewish immigrants to live. Thes Arabs started attacking THEM. In fact, they were the ones that tried forcing them from the land that they had bought and improved by making the desert bloom.

The Palestinians never had a country and if they keep trying to get their way by VIOLENCE, they never will have one. They will just keep losing like they have for the last 70 years.

Utter nonsense.

I would gladly tear apart every single sentence in your pseudo history, but I feel we would be drifting off topic.

Every European colonization has created its own mythology to justify its land theft and repression of the indigenous population...we were bringing civilization/Christianity/whatever to the savages and they just didn't appreciate our kindness. Israel and its apologists are no different.

I agree Absolutely. Please educate yourself on the financing of the Jewish refugees from WW2. The proposition that each of these Jewish refugees - who barely had the skin on their backs, after the Nazis finished with them, had the money to buy land, is an outright lie. Europe, especially Britain, paid some Jewish land brokers, to get rid of what they thought of as untouchables.

And by the way, use the correct terminology, when you accuse one of the posters as spouting anti-Semitic tropes. Wilkipedia defines anti-semitism as : prejudice against, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews as an ethnic, religious, or racial group. Just about every poster here protesting against the land grab by Israel might be called anti-Israeli......but it is a knee-jerk reaction ( and a typical mistake of Israeli apologists) to call them anti-Jewish.

In most cases it's not ...a typical mistake... it's a calculated propaganda tactic.

[NOWHERE]

Why does it have to be so complicated? It is all an escalation of sectarian commitment. Carpet boom the whole region and start again.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Perhaps your 44% poll will go down, because after the UK, Germany and France are also against the further annexation of Occupied Palestinian Territory by Israel.

-snip-

Please tell me who gives a shit what "the UK, Germany and France" think? Don't they have enough troubles of their own? Just like Thais, they think they are the center of the universe when the truth is they are now irrelevant.

I belly laugh every time someone says that what Israel does is "against international law" or "they should be tried in an international court" or any similar BS. You and who's army?

If you want to beat Israel you'll have to do it with boots on the ground and that would be suicide for all of Europe combined.

Because Britain and the rest of the EU are Israel's largest trading partner. It would be economic suicide for Israel to do anything to upset them to the point of sanctions.

Israel's and your arrogance that they can treat international law with contempt is astounding. What's so special about Israel that makes them above the law?

So now the tiny countries of the UK, Germany and France became the whole EU? Or did I miss something?

The US is Israel's #1 trading partner amounting to almost 5x that of the UK. The only other EU country to even make the list is the very tiny Belgium. LINK

Get over yourself.

Cheers.

So now the tiny countries allied with Israel become the whole world?

Majority of the countries in the world recognized Palestine as a State...but now you'll tell me it doesn't really matter as they are not the occidental ones.

Last time I checked Belgium was a member of the UE, which apply the UE-ISrael agreement, therefore UE is one of the major trading partner.

Get over yourself ...yourself

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/israel/

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Europeans will soon be trampling over one another to secure a share of Israel's massive gas reserves

The EU accounts for just over 29% of Israel's exports. The USA 23%.

http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/isr/show/all/2013/

So Israel should indeed sit up and take notice that it does not offend the EU with its continued land grab in the West Bank.

Cheers.

Europeans will soon be trampling over one another to secure a share of Israel's massive gas reserves, BDS or talk of boycotts will disappear soon enough, especially as Russian relations with the EU are rocky.

Incidentally I pointed out on the very first post on this thread how the EU was funding ILLEGAL Palestinian settlements on land allotted to Israel by Oslo, no reply to this from any of our esteemed members, their agenda is as transparent as their cause is phony.

Keep dreaming sweet boy

Incidentally I pointed out on the very first post on this thread how the EU was funding ILLEGAL Palestinian settlements on land allotted to Israel by Oslo, no reply to this from any of our esteemed members, their agenda is as transparent as their cause is phony.

I replied but you probably missed it.

You will be able to use the Oslo argument in favor of Israel once it will stop to spit on it on daily basis

[GeorgesAbitbol]

All i read on here from the pro Israel lobby (for want of a better term) is defense of war crimes, defense of breaches of the Geneva convention and the defense of the mass slaughter of innocent.

The new defense/excuse is that it's "karma".

Karma for Arabs starting the violence in the first place. Karma for refusing to work out a compromise with the Jews to live side by side. Karma for refusing the UN deal that would have given BOTH peoples their own land and their own county. Karma for declaring war on Israel for accepting the UN plan. Karma for decades of terrorism where the Palestinians targeted innocent men, women and children. The Palestinian Arabs have a LOT to answer for.

Switch Palestine and Israel in your whole comment, and it is still working

[MisterTee]

Why does it have to be so complicated? It is all an escalation of sectarian commitment. Carpet boom the whole region and start again.

Either that is a lame attempt at humour, or you need help... urgently.

Or did you mean start an economic boom based on oriental carpets?

None of the possibilities sound good.

Get a grip, man.

Edited March 18, 2016 by MisterTee

[billd766]

If the Palestinians wanted the 1948 borders, they should have agreed to them in the first place instead of declaring war on Israel. They did NOT accept them and have started numerous wars - all of which they lost - since. There are repercussions for starting wars and refusing to make peace.

I must be losing my memory as I cannot remember ANY "Palestinian" Army in the world.

Don't worry. From your ignorant posts, it is quite obvious that you very little at all about the conflict at all.

In the first phase of the war, lasting from November 29, 1947 until April 1, 1948, the Palestinian Arabs took the offensive, with help from volunteers from neighboring countries. They did not call themselves "Palestinians" yet, because there was no such country as "Palestine" and never had been. They were still just plain "Arabs".

AFTER Israel declared Independence, Five Arab armies (Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon and Iraq) immediately invaded Israel to back them up, only to LOSE in the end. They have been losing non-stop ever since.

Thank you very much for calling my posts ignorant. If they are try enlighten me and everybody by posting neutral and non biased posts for a change.

You and several others always take the Israeli side NO MATTER what the post is about and claim how poor little Israel is surrounded by enemies who want to destroy it.

Why doesn't Israel try to make peace with other countries? Whay are they ALWAYS stealing land and evicting the people on it who have lived there for generations?

Why are they always fighting and killing yet try to claim the moral high ground when in most cases they are the cause of the problem.

I won't expect a reasoned response from you as in your own words

quote "From your ignorant posts, it is quite obvious that you very little at all about the conflict at all."

[Ulysses G.]

All i read on here from the pro Israel lobby (for want of a better term) is defense of war crimes, defense of breaches of the Geneva convention and the defense of the mass slaughter of innocent.

The new defense/excuse is that it's "karma".

Karma for Arabs starting the violence in the first place. Karma for refusing to work out a compromise with the Jews to live side by side. Karma for refusing the UN deal that would have given BOTH peoples their own land and their own county. Karma for declaring war on Israel for accepting the UN plan. Karma for decades of terrorism where the Palestinians targeted innocent men, women and children. The Palestinian Arabs have a LOT to answer for.

Switch Palestine and Israel in your whole comment, and it is still working

Nope. It DOESN'T work. You just proved - once again - don't know what you are talking about.

ARABS started the violence in the first place. That is historically indisputable. The ARABS refused to work out a compromise with the Jews to live side by side. The Jews were willing to for decades. The ARABS refused the UN deal that would have given BOTH peoples their own land and their own county. The ARABS declared war on Israel for accepting the UN plan. That only works one way. The ARABS have decades of terrorism to answer for. The PALESTINIANS targeted innocent men, women and children for political gain. The PALISTINIANS are the ones living in a purgatory of their own making. Karma is a bitch.

[sendintheclowns]

Why does it have to be so complicated? It is all an escalation of sectarian commitment. Carpet boom the whole region and start again.

Either that is a lame attempt at humour, or you need help... urgently.

Or did you mean start an economic boom based on oriental carpets?

None of the possibilities sound good.

Get a grip, man.

Get real, as in.......

He's a real Nowhere Man

Sitting in his nowhere land

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Nope. It DOESN'T work. You just proved - once again - don't know what you are talking about.

ARABS started the violence in the first place. That is historically indisputable. The ARABS refused to work out a compromise with the Jews to live side by side. The Jews were willing to for decades. The ARABS refused the UN deal that would have given BOTH peoples their own land and their own county. The ARABS declared war on Israel for accepting the UN plan. That only works one way. The ARABS have decades of terrorism to answer for. The PALESTINIANS targeted innocent men, women and children for political gain. The PALISTINIANS are the ones living in a purgatory of their own making. Karma is a bitch.

Putting words in capital letters don't change anything you know...it just makes it less readable.

The Paletinian can rightfully say the Nakba was the start of the problems

you may one day hear of it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba_Day

You should stop using Karma when you try to prove your point, it makes you look like a Thai PM and does not add any value to your (wrong) arguments.

in present day the only side which does not allow the other to leave its own borders, segregate the few "lucky ones" inside Israel borders, steal land and apparently don't give a sh.t about international resolutions, condemnations, acknowledgment of Palestine as a state is Israel....like it or not Israel is a bully and has a far right government

[sendintheclowns]

All i read on here from the pro Israel lobby (for want of a better term) is defense of war crimes, defense of breaches of the Geneva convention and the defense of the mass slaughter of innocent.

The new defense/excuse is that it's "karma".

Karma for Arabs starting the violence in the first place. Karma for refusing to work out a compromise with the Jews to live side by side. Karma for refusing the UN deal that would have given BOTH peoples their own land and their own county. Karma for declaring war on Israel for accepting the UN plan. Karma for decades of terrorism where the Palestinians targeted innocent men, women and children. The Palestinian Arabs have a LOT to answer for.

Switch Palestine and Israel in your whole comment, and it is still working

Nope. It DOESN'T work. You just proved - once again - don't know what you are talking about.

ARABS started the violence in the first place. That is historically indisputable. The ARABS refused to work out a compromise with the Jews to live side by side. The Jews were willing to for decades. The ARABS refused the UN deal that would have given BOTH peoples their own land and their own county. The ARABS declared war on Israel for accepting the UN plan. That only works one way. The ARABS have decades of terrorism to answer for. The PALESTINIANS targeted innocent men, women and children for political gain. The PALISTINIANS are the ones living in a purgatory of their own making. Karma is a bitch.

I have to ask, where do you keep your head. ? Unless you have a bucket over your head, in which case, that would explain why you SHOUT, it's rude, you know.
Before you rant further, I suggest that you read the outline of the Treaty, which was drafted so as to allow Israel a material advantage, ( and therefore the Palestinians a disadvantage) in terms of the % of territory granted, as compared with the 2 populations. I think that if any other group was asked to accept such a one- sided deal, they, too would have refused. It is all there, in black and white. So if you want to debate the relative merits for each of the parties, I invite you to please do so.

[NOWHERE]

Why does it have to be so complicated? It is all an escalation of sectarian commitment. Carpet boom the whole region and start again.

Either that is a lame attempt at humour, or you need help... urgently.

Or did you mean start an economic boom based on oriental carpets?

None of the possibilities sound good.

Get a grip, man.

Yes. A lame attempt at humor and an indulgent autocorrect.

I've been listening to the same old arguments for years and even had the privilege of being a referee curtousy of the UN in the 80's.

You think it is more than a clash of religion? Maybe, but I can't see through the black and white of the situation. If I'm ignorant then I'll live in my bliss.

[Ulysses G.]

Thank you very much for calling my posts ignorant. If they are try enlighten me and everybody by posting neutral and non biased posts for a change.

You and several others always take the Israeli side NO MATTER what the post is about and claim how poor little Israel is surrounded by enemies who want to destroy it.

I am more that happy to point out why your posts are ignorant. In fact I have already done so. Your most recent posts are pretty typical of all of them. You try to claim that there was no Palestinian army, but Arabs from the Palestinian region with volunteers from other countries fought the first phrase of what turned into the 1948 war. That is a historical FACT.

The first large-scale assaults began on January 9, 1948, when approximately 1,000 Arabs attacked Jewish communities in northern Palestine. By February, the British said so many Arabs had infiltrated they lacked the forces to run them back. 5

In the first phase of the war, lasting from November 29, 1947, until April 1, 1948, the Palestinian Arabs took the offensive, with help from volunteers from neighboring countries. The Jews suffered severe casualties and passage along most of their major roadways was disrupted.

You also claim that I always take the side of Israel. That might be true, but YOU always take the side of the Arabs, so whining about it is as hypocritical as one can get. At least my posts are historically accurate. Yours are NOT. Yours are almost always incorrect.

You suggest that Israel doesn't try to make peace, but, of course, that is complete nonsense. Israel has made numerous attempts to make peace, over many decades. That is a well-documented FACT and claiming otherwise is easily proven. EVERYONE knows that Israel made peace with Egypt and Jordan, but there have also been decades of attempts with the Palestinians.

Israel-Palestinian Negotiations:History & Overview

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/ispal.html

Edited March 18, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[Ulysses G.]

Before you rant further, I suggest that you read the outline of the Treaty, which was drafted so as to allow Israel a material advantage, ( and therefore the Palestinians a disadvantage) in terms of the % of territory granted, as compared with the 2 populations. I think that if any other group was asked to accept such a one- sided deal, they, too would have refused

Stupid argument. The British had ALREADY given the Palestinians approximately 70% of what was supposed to be the Jewish homeland - The British Mandate. Nowadays, it is called Jordan. The later split of 56% to the Jews and 44% to the Arabs was a division of only the remaining 30%. On top of that, much of the 56% figure is actually the Negev desert, which was state-owned and had few settlements. It was pretty much worthless. The Palestinians were given FAR more land in the whole process.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[crowbait]

These arguments about who started it and who commits the worst atrocities are childish, cloddish and ultimately sterile as none of you will believe a single word of each other's rhetoric. Sometimes in order to move forward, you have to forgive the past (not forget, it would be unthinkable to forget the suffering, heroism and deaths but to forgive them in order to end the hatred).

War mongers and arms merchants profit from all of this conflict, do you really want to see their riches increase?

[dexterm]

Before you rant further, I suggest that you read the outline of the Treaty, which was drafted so as to allow Israel a material advantage, ( and therefore the Palestinians a disadvantage) in terms of the % of territory granted, as compared with the 2 populations. I think that if any other group was asked to accept such a one- sided deal, they, too would have refused

Stupid argument. The British had ALREADY given the Palestinians approximately 70% of what was supposed to be the Jewish homeland - The British Mandate. Nowadays, it is called Jordan. The later split of 56% to the Jews and 44% to the Arabs was a division of only the remaining 30%. On top of that, much of the 56% figure is actually the Negev desert, which was state-owned and had few settlements. It was pretty much worthless. The Palestinians were given FAR more land in the whole process.

Rubbish. You deliberately muddy the timeline so that you can fabricate phony stats. This has been debunked many times before. Transjordan was never part of a Jewish Homeland...quote us a reference where the British ever said it was.

And who were the British to be giving away any part of someone else's land to a minority of European colonizers anyway?

Not going to be drawn into your schtick...the silly pseudo history which is totally irrelevant to a future resolution of the conflict and meaningless to the plight of the Palestinians dispossessed by Zionists land thieves in the OP.

Edited March 18, 2016 by dexterm

[Harveyg]

Stealing peoples land and they wonder why the violence never stops ,

Where is your evidence that "they wonder why the violence never stops"??

Do u really believe that Israel is unaware of the consequences of its actions?

Rightly or wrongly, Israel plans for all manner of potential surprises. Rightly or wrongly, annexation is part of one groups idea of best way to protect itself. Also, using a word like "stealing" is for inflammatory purpose I guess. Actually I think u only wanted an opportunity to criticize Israel. The usual suspects like your statement too. Wonder what that means...

[Steely Dan]

Aside from the usual hyperbole and hysterics can anyone explain exactly where the land is situated? Is it in zone A,B or C? According to the Oslo accords if it is in zone C this land was designated as belonging to Israel. If not is the land close to a settlement? The title of the o.p would suggest yes. It was always envisaged that Israel would expand major settlements in exchange for land elsewhere. Furthermore Israelhas a housing shortage with some people living in mobile homes awaiting permanent housing, in light of Palestinian refusal to engage in bilateral negotiations I see no reason why Israel shouldn't alleviate this. To argue it puts a two state solution in jeopardy is dishonest if Israel built on land envisaged to be theirs. Conversely the EU knowingly funding Illegal Palestinian homes in zone C would indeed jeopardize a two state solution, were it not for Israel demolishing them.

Alas none of these points seem to be answered anywhere in the news, I wish Morch was here to throw some light on this.

[dexterm]

Stealing peoples land and they wonder why the violence never stops ,

Where is your evidence that "they wonder why the violence never stops"??

Do u really believe that Israel is unaware of the consequences of its actions?

Rightly or wrongly, Israel plans for all manner of potential surprises. Rightly or wrongly, annexation is part of one groups idea of best way to protect itself. Also, using a word like "stealing" is for inflammatory purpose I guess. Actually I think u only wanted an opportunity to criticize Israel. The usual suspects like your statement too. Wonder what that means...

Israel has no right to confiscate land in the illegally occupied territories anyway but simply to build cheap housing for carpet bagging Zionists in Jewish only colonies without paying fair compensation to Palestinian owners for land, livelihood and homes lost , making them instant refugees then that is unequivocally stealing.

[eaglesflight]

Stupid argument. The British had ALREADY given the Palestinians approximately 70% of what was supposed to be the Jewish homeland - The British Mandate. Nowadays, it is called Jordan. The later split of 56% to the Jews and 44% to the Arabs was a division of only the remaining 30%. On top of that, much of the 56% figure is actually the Negev desert, which was state-owned and had few settlements. It was pretty much worthless. The Palestinians were given FAR more land in the whole process.

Sorry but why is it "supposed to be the Jewish homeland"? What gives them the right to settle the land in perpetuity? In no other part of the world can a race get away with making such ridiculous claims.

When the balance of global power shifts and the USA is no longer in the position it now is, there will be a solution to the problem that Israel has created in the Middle East but perhaps not one the Jews will appreciate.

Edited March 18, 2016 by eaglesflight

[Jingthing]

Stupid argument. The British had ALREADY given the Palestinians approximately 70% of what was supposed to be the Jewish homeland - The British Mandate. Nowadays, it is called Jordan. The later split of 56% to the Jews and 44% to the Arabs was a division of only the remaining 30%. On top of that, much of the 56% figure is actually the Negev desert, which was state-owned and had few settlements. It was pretty much worthless. The Palestinians were given FAR more land in the whole process.

Sorry but why is it "supposed to be the Jewish homeland"? What gives them the right to settle the land in perpetuity? In no other part of the world can a race get away with making such ridiculous claims.

When the balance of global power shifts and the USA is no longer in the position it now is, there will be a solution to the problem that Israel has created in the Middle East but perhaps not one the Jews will appreciate.

Everyone's a psychic.

[Ulysses G.]

Before you rant further, I suggest that you read the outline of the Treaty, which was drafted so as to allow Israel a material advantage, ( and therefore the Palestinians a disadvantage) in terms of the % of territory granted, as compared with the 2 populations. I think that if any other group was asked to accept such a one- sided deal, they, too would have refused

Stupid argument. The British had ALREADY given the Palestinians approximately 70% of what was supposed to be the Jewish homeland - The British Mandate. Nowadays, it is called Jordan. The later split of 56% to the Jews and 44% to the Arabs was a division of only the remaining 30%. On top of that, much of the 56% figure is actually the Negev desert, which was state-owned and had few settlements. It was pretty much worthless. The Palestinians were given FAR more land in the whole process.

Transjordan was never part of a Jewish Homeland...quote us a reference where the British ever said it was.

The League of Nations - the forerunner of the UN - issued the British Mandate for Palestine which formalized British rule over the Levant and gave Britain responsibility for creating a Jewish Homeland in the area. Indeed Transjordan was never a part of a Jewish Homeland, because Great Britain gave that part of the land away.

Palestine Mandate. Prompted and advised by Israel Zangwill, the Congress urged Great Britain to enforce, fully and soon, the conditions of the mandate over Palestine granted Great Britain by the League of Nations in 1922. Britain's obligation under this mandate is to assist Jewry in establishing in Palestine a Jewish national home.

http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,716809,00.html

Jordan is Palestine. Palestine is Jordan.This is the royal decree and sentiments of two of the kings of Jordan and plenty of others. There is absolutely no difference between Jordan and Palestine, nor between Jordanians and Palestinians (all actually Arabs).

“Palestine and Jordan are one…” said King Abdullah in 1948.

“The truth is that Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan,”said King Hussein of Jordan, in 1981.

“Palestine is Jordan and Jordan is Palestine; there is only one land, with one history and one and the same fate,” Prince Hassan of the Jordanian National Assembly was quoted as saying on February 2, 1970.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[Thorgal]

Also New Zealand slams the latest continuation of illegal Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territory.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/299025/mccully-criticises-israeli-settlements

[Thorgal]

Aside from the usual hyperbole and hysterics can anyone explain exactly where the land is situated? Is it in zone A,B or C? According to the Oslo accords if it is in zone C this land was designated as belonging to Israel. If not is the land close to a settlement? The title of the o.p would suggest yes. It was always envisaged that Israel would expand major settlements in exchange for land elsewhere. Furthermore Israelhas a housing shortage with some people living in mobile homes awaiting permanent housing, in light of Palestinian refusal to engage in bilateral negotiations I see no reason why Israel shouldn't alleviate this. To argue it puts a two state solution in jeopardy is dishonest if Israel built on land envisaged to be theirs. Conversely the EU knowingly funding Illegal Palestinian homes in zone C would indeed jeopardize a two state solution, were it not for Israel demolishing them.

Alas none of these points seem to be answered anywhere in the news, I wish Morch was here to throw some light on this.

Too bad, it's in area A. Just below Jericho, and too far away to claim illegaly legitimacy for Israel through the Oslo Accords...

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/-EU-Slams-Israel-over-Latest-Settlement-Expansion-in-Palestine-20160318-0006.html

[Steely Dan]

Aside from the usual hyperbole and hysterics can anyone explain exactly where the land is situated? Is it in zone A,B or C? According to the Oslo accords if it is in zone C this land was designated as belonging to Israel. If not is the land close to a settlement? The title of the o.p would suggest yes. It was always envisaged that Israel would expand major settlements in exchange for land elsewhere. Furthermore Israelhas a housing shortage with some people living in mobile homes awaiting permanent housing, in light of Palestinian refusal to engage in bilateral negotiations I see no reason why Israel shouldn't alleviate this. To argue it puts a two state solution in jeopardy is dishonest if Israel built on land envisaged to be theirs. Conversely the EU knowingly funding Illegal Palestinian homes in zone C would indeed jeopardize a two state solution, were it not for Israel demolishing them.

Alas none of these points seem to be answered anywhere in the news, I wish Morch was here to throw some light on this.

Too bad, it's in area A. Just below Jericho, and too far away to claim illegaly legitimacy for Israel through the Oslo Accords...

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/-EU-Slams-Israel-over-Latest-Settlement-Expansion-in-Palestine-20160318-0006.html

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1458310390.853911.jpg

From your link.

“Israel’s decision to declare 234 hectares near Jericho in Area C of the West Bank as state land is a further step that risks undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state and therefore calls into question Israel’s commitment to a two-state solution,” the EU said in a statement.

Area C is the grey area on the map intended for Israeli control. Hoisted on ones own petard I suspect.

[JingerBen]

Stupid argument. The British had ALREADY given the Palestinians approximately 70% of what was supposed to be the Jewish homeland - The British Mandate. Nowadays, it is called Jordan. The later split of 56% to the Jews and 44% to the Arabs was a division of only the remaining 30%. On top of that, much of the 56% figure is actually the Negev desert, which was state-owned and had few settlements. It was pretty much worthless. The Palestinians were given FAR more land in the whole process.

Sorry but why is it "supposed to be the Jewish homeland"? What gives them the right to settle the land in perpetuity? In no other part of the world can a race get away with making such ridiculous claims.

When the balance of global power shifts and the USA is no longer in the position it now is, there will be a solution to the problem that Israel has created in the Middle East but perhaps not one the Jews will appreciate.

Everyone's a psychic.

Maybe so, but it doesn't require clairvoyance to see that Israel will be overwhelmed by a hostile Palestinian population in the occupied territories.

The old Zionist dream of Eretz Israel will turn into a nightmare.