In a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, several right-wing factions in the Israeli Knesset argued that Israel should annex West Bank settlements as punishment for the recent Palestinian bid for United Nations membership.
The letter was signed by Likud chairman Ze’ev Elkin, Shas chairman Avraham Michaeli, Habayit Hayehudi chairman Uri Orbach, and the leader of the National Union faction Yaakov Katz.
The right-wing leaders urged Netanyahu to impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority, cut aid money, gradually annex the entirety all West Bank settlements, accelerate settlement construction, cancel PA officials’ VIP ID cards, and prohibit any Palestinian construction on Israeli Defense Force controlled land.
This kind of pressure has apparently manifested into policy already, as Tuesday also saw the announcement of a major new settlement expansion in Gilo, one of the “ring neighborhoods” created in territory conquered by the Israeli military in 1967, which will include 1,100 new housing units. Indeed, this year has seen a dramatic increase in settlement expansion.
Such moves to grab land and marginalize the Palestinian leadership may be more widely supported in the Knesset than some expect. The deputy speaker of the Israeli Knesset Danny Danon, who recently appeared with Republican Presidential candidate Rick Perry in a speech on the conflict, has said openly he does not believe in a two state solution. And Prime Minister Netanyahu has suggested multiple times that all of Judea and Samaria – the West Bank – belong to the Jewish people.
The letter warned of the “serious damage that could befall Israel if it chooses to avoid repines,” and that if it did, Israel would “completely lose its deterrence, thus stimulating the Palestinians to continue their actions against it in the international arena.”
“In fact, the international damage that Israel could suffer in the wake of the UN vote is significantly smaller than that it would suffer if it doesn’t follow up on the principle you set a decade ago – ‘If they give, they’ll get; if they don’t give, they get nothing.'”
Instead of saying "territory conquered by the Israeli military in 1967," how about territory taken back from the Jordanians who had conquered it in 1947. The same Jordanians that made it "judenfrei" for 17 years. Annexation was the answer back in 1967. It is time to return to the 1947 boundaries.
Exactly what I had expected would happen. It will lead eventually in years/decades(?) to come but – alas – with much bloodshed to to a unitary state.
Palistine would have expected this and more but I don't see thr future but really think Israel will pay 7 times for the evil they commited just like the bible speaks of 7 times punnishment.Even just 7 times earthly punnishment.Really feel thet pushed untill they forced what will eventually really hurt them if not destroy them.Then the can show the world how the real terrorust asre by using there Sampson Option.But most likely like most bullies before it gets that bad they will act like cowards to save themselfs.
Sure, go ahead and annex everything- and instantly begin the demographic displacement of Israeli Jews as the new Israeli Arabs begin to out-reproduce you by leaps and bounds. If Israel wants to preserve the 'Jewish' character of the state (just another euphemism for racism, imo) they'll recognize that they need the Palestinians to have their own state and their own defined borders. Otherwise, Tel Aviv better start giving Israeli families cash bounties for each child they produce. Oh, wait- they may already have that in the works; after all, the Germans did it in the 30's and 40's and Israel seems to be an ardent student of their practices.
Of course, the Israelis are as racist as the Nazis were (and as doomed to final, utter defeat as well).
I think the plan is to get rid of the Arabs by hook or by crook. The US Congress is demanding they annex the West Bank and would pay for cleanser de jour of the Lieberman factions, Avigdor and Joe.
Leshana Tova Tikoseiv Vesichoseim
More settlement building means more homes for returning Palestinians to their own state when the Israeli settlers are eventually expelled.
Isreal aways destroys the house before departing, examples: Egypt and Gaza. They never clean up the mess they leave. But not to worry, Isreal will not give up the West Bank, so the homes built with American money will remain.
Mr. Nethanyahu's goals are to follow along Ben Gurion’s comments made in his letter to his son back in 1940.
A partial Jewish state is not the end, but only the beginning. The
establishment of such a Jewish State will serve as a means in our
historical efforts to redeem the country in its entirety….
We shall organize a modern defense force…and then I am certain that
we will not be prevented from settling in other parts of the country,
either by mutual agreement with our Arab neighbors or by some other
means….
We will expel the Arabs and take their places…with the force at our
disposal.” ~ .
[ wonder if the administrator will aloow this comment/]
The West Bank – hasn't Israel already taken all of that land from the Palestinians – having de facto annexed that land.
As to the Gaza Strip – just a matter of time before Israel build ovens on that land so that it can murder every Palestinian.
The law is the law — and if it is legal for Jews to ethnic cleanse Palestine, and Jews have the morality to stomach the slaughter of it, then the only thing preventing them from a worldwide cleansing of all who are not Jew is the means to do it.
"How DARE you tell us to stop stealing your land. We're going to steal the rest of it as punishment!"
I like this>>>