Who is the most powerful person in the world? Last month, the President of the United States, Barak Obama repeatedly insisted that Israel must freeze the expansion of their illegal colonies in Occupied Palestine.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu says 'no' and the US President backs down. And when the Israeli government announced this week plans to build 900 more homes on Palestinian territory, the US administration is 'dismayed' and the French government expressed 'regret'. Will the US administration freeze the generous 'loans' which Israel uses to fund these colonies? Of course not.No one it seems has the courage to take on the Israel Lobby.
So the hypocrisy continues, international law is ignored, and yet more Palestinian homes are demolished and yet more Palestinian land is stolen. If Israel will not accept the two state solution based on the June 1967 borders, then it is time to call for one state in Palestine. It is time for Palestinians to be given their civil rights. One man, one vote. Israel must choose between Zionism, Colonialism and democracy. It can have two and enjoy peace with its neighbours but not all three.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu says 'no' and the US President backs down. And when the Israeli government announced this week plans to build 900 more homes on Palestinian territory, the US administration is 'dismayed' and the French government expressed 'regret'. Will the US administration freeze the generous 'loans' which Israel uses to fund these colonies? Of course not.No one it seems has the courage to take on the Israel Lobby.
So the hypocrisy continues, international law is ignored, and yet more Palestinian homes are demolished and yet more Palestinian land is stolen. If Israel will not accept the two state solution based on the June 1967 borders, then it is time to call for one state in Palestine. It is time for Palestinians to be given their civil rights. One man, one vote. Israel must choose between Zionism, Colonialism and democracy. It can have two and enjoy peace with its neighbours but not all three.
The BBC Report says,
Settlements on occupied territory are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.Mr Gibbs said: "We are dismayed at the Jerusalem Planning Committee's decision to move forward on the approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem.
"Neither party should engage in efforts or take actions that could unilaterally pre-empt, or appear to pre-empt, negotiations."
It is the second time in two months that the Obama administration has spoken out on settlements.In September the White House said it regretted reports that Israel planned to approve new construction in the West Bank.
The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says the conventional wisdom in the US is that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has successfully thwarted Barack Obama's first foray into the stalled Middle East peace process, rebuffing American calls for a complete settlements freeze.
But some Washington observers say it's too early to write off the president's efforts, he says.
State department spokesman Ian Kelly said the planning decision was dismaying
They believe Mr Obama is playing a long game and that the frosty relations between Mr Netanyahu and the White House could cause problems for the Israeli leader in the future, our correspondent adds.
Mr Ban's spokeswoman said the UN chief believed the Israeli action would "undermine efforts for peace and cast doubt on the viability of the two-state solution".French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said his government "regretted" the move, while Saudi Arabia said the approval was a "major obstacle" to the peace process..
A spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the planning approval was "yet another step that shows and proves Israel is not ready for peace".
Nearly 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built on occupied territory in the West Bank and East Jerusalem."
See BBC Israel Settlement Plan Denounced
