Secretary of State John Kerry is heading to Israel for a high-profile visit aimed at restarting peace talks with the Palestinian Authority, but this effort may be for naught as Israel has announced yet another settlement expansion.
The new expansion comes in Har Homa, a particularly controversial settlement built in occupied East Jerusalem, with officials conceding that some Palestinian lands were seized for the initial construction.
Palestinian officials condemned the move, saying it was proof that Israel is trying to sabotage Kerry’s efforts to restart talks. The US has so far been mum on the issue, though privately they have expressed anger in the past when Israel has timed expansions seemingly to spite US visits.
This expansion seems liable to be particularly irksome, since it is relatively small and comes as Kerry has been so publicly working on the peace talks, trying to convince the PA to scrap preconditions and threatening Abbas to get him to scrap demands for an “official” settlement freeze by arguing that a de facto one is mostly already in place.
Bibi's specialty- slap America in the face every time he gets a chance. Why don't US officials get this? No better opportunity to have israel humiliate you in front of the world than announcing an official visit.
American officials aren't humiliated. They just pretend to be for the Peace Process charade.
Kerry's response will be "Thank you Sir BiBi, may we have another?"
Israel to US: 'F*ck you!" But keep sending the money, freiers.
Average American joe is too stupid to comprehend this stuff let alone that his amusements on the net are being monitored by his out of control government. Yawn!
I think this was approve by Kerry. Why is he still going to Israel after Bibi just spit in his face?
Humilate the US you jest the zionist make asses of even the US president so this joker having been made an ass by the zionist now tries to screw Abbas for concessions the zionist are doing just what the excons did to the native ameicans.
This is how Israel always greets any attempt for agreement with the Palestinians – more announcements, more settlements, more ethnic cleansing, more apartheid. Every time!
The U.S didn't do anything when Israel Attacked the USS Liberty, Killing 34 and wounding 174 U.S. Servicemen, what makes anyone think building on Arab land will bother the U.S.?