AMERICA’S 3 BILLION DOLLAR UNWINNABLE BET

November 15, 2010 at 12:35 (Deception, DesertPeace Editorial, Ethnic Cleansing, Extremism, Hasbara, Illegal Evictions, Illegal Settlements, Israel, Occupied West Bank, Palestine, Peace Process, Settler Violence, Status of Jerusalem)

The outside observer might be under the impression that it is the Palestinians, not the Israelis that have been preventing the establishment of a long lasting, just Peace in the region.

The New York Times has joined those confusing facts with fiction by publishing the following today;  JERUSALEM — The pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to push for a new, one-time-only freeze of 90 days on settlement construction in the West Bank represents a bet by the Israelis and the Americans that enough can be accomplished so that the Palestinians will not abandon peace talks even after the freeze ends. Read the entire article HERE.

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The Israeli government has maintained since day one that Jerusalem is the ‘eternal capital’ of Israel. The Americans (Canadians as well) have silently refuted that by not building their embassies there, but rather in Tel Aviv, supposedly not to insult the Palestinians. But their attempts at that are transparent as they moved their consulate from East Jerusalem to a ‘safer’ part of town in the Jewish section of the city. The new consulate opened early last month.

Following are reports that clearly show the reality of the situation at hand, it’s not just the settlements in the Occupied West Bank that are the problem, it’s the very status of Jerusalem itself…. and it’s definitely not the Palestinians that are preventing that Peace from becoming a reality. Promises of war planes and settlement freeze promises that we know will not be kept will not stop the ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem.

This week in Silwan: clashes, raids, arrests, and demolition orders

Jewish extremists assault two Palestinians in Silwan

Israel Continues Assault on East Jerusalem’s Issawiya

Israel steps-up pressure on Issawiya village with blockades

Jerusalem center warns of demolitions wave after Eid

Lest we forget the ongoing struggle in Sheikh Jarrah…

Sheikh Jarrah: one year of protests:

On November 12, approximately 400 Palestinian, Israeli and international activists marked one year of Friday afternoon protests in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Demonstrators were met by Israeli soldiers and police, and a group of Israeli settlers that have taken over homes in the neighborhood.

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Following is a report that shows the ‘solution’ offered by the American government;

US government offers Israel $3 billion weapons deal in exchange for 3-month settlement freeze

by Saed Bannoura

After US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with the Israeli Prime Minister on Friday, the US set out an offer of additional military assistance to Israel in exchange for a 90-day moratorium on new settlement construction in the West Bank. Construction already in progress on hundreds of units of housing would be allowed to continue during the ‘moratorium’, which also does not include East Jerusalem.

Israeli settlement of Ofra (photo by bigpeace)

Some Palestinian analysts say the US offer is weak, as it does not pressure Israel in any way to adhere to past signed agreements or international law, but merely forestalls the inevitable failure of ‘peace talks’ between two vastly unequal players. Some have even suggested that this is an attempt by the US to bribe Israel to do what it is required to do under international law.

Since the ‘moratorium’ would not include East Jerusalem, where the majority of current construction of Israeli-only homes and displacement of indigenous Palestinian residents is taking place, some Palestinians feel that it is only a token gesture that does not in any way address their concerns.

In exchange for the temporary, partial moratorium on construction, the Israeli military would receive a gift of 20 F35 fighter jets, worth $3 billion, from the US. The US-made jets that Israel already has have been used for aerial bombardment of Palestinian civilian areas in violation of international law, and to drop missiles on Palestinians that Israel claims are ‘wanted’ for crimes against Israelis – but instead of being tried and convicted, they are extrajudicially assassinated by missiles, in violation of international law.

The US government also promised Israel that after the 90-day moratorium, they would not seek an extension, and settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (all of which is illegal under international law) could continue unabated.

This offer is an attempt by the US to get Israel to return to the negotiating table, after their refusal to renew a moratorium on new settlement construction resulted in a breakdown of talks with the unelected branch of the Palestinian Authority led by the Fateh party.

All settlement construction by Israel in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory. The Convention prevents the transfer of civilian populations onto land that was seized by military force. The land in question is Palestinian land that was seized by Israel in 1967, and has been occupied by the Israeli military ever since.

(Source of report)

It’s times like this that I wish I had the resources and know-how to produce a YouTube video (which I am sure would be removed within minutes) in the style of ‘We Con The World’…. showing how the entire world is being conned by the Israeli and US governments…. at the expense ($3,000,000,000) of the US taxpayer.