A new report from settlement watchdog group Peace Now reports that Israel has quadrupled its construction activity in the occupied West Bank over the past year. Active moves to advance construction on some 2,168 new housing units have happened since last year.
Perhaps even more disturbing than the actual numbers is where the construction is taking place, as large amounts of the construction is happening deep in Palestinian territory, in places like Ariel, settlements that are far beyond the borders of any expected negotiated two-state solution.
Another popular site for construction is Efrat, which is along the only highway connecting the northern and southern parts of Palestine. As these settlements grow, it adds obstacles to any potential peace deal which would lead to an independent Palestine.
These figures are only those on active new building activity. Israel’s far-right government has given on-paper approvals to vastly more housing units than this over the past year, but many are still in the early planning stages.
No surprise. Israel doesn’t want peace, they want more land.
Why not call a spade a spade? Not settlements, but rather Squatters…
It is a defining moral depravity of our time – allowing racist, land-thieves to go unpunished as they wipe out the Palestinian civilization. Anyone, especially crooked American politicians who OK’s this depravity (e.g. the Clintons) for Zionist cash, are lower than whale dung.
Then stop reelecting that low life!! Throw them out. They are traitors.
The ultimate power over any government has to be the organized will of the voting majority. For our lower-half of society has been kept impoverished for so long, that their not about to waste time voting for their next set of dictators. Which allows the 26% most wealthy to be the voting majority and to hoard 75% of all the wealth.
How has the lower-half of society has been kept impoverished?
Really?
Israel is making sure there can never be an independent Palestinian state. I’m for one state for all, and a permanent end to Zionism. I hope this strategy backfires, as it also certainly will, and the Zionists themselves bring an end to their racist enthnocracy.
As soon as Israel collapses, the Palestinians will have ready-built houses, an entire system of water, electricity and sewage. Just hang on a brief while.
But how does this justify treating Palestinians as second class people? Checkpoints and different pathways etc. I’m going to visit to see for myself.
There is no legitimate reason for separate state for Arabs living in Israel . France and Germany are not offering a separate independent state for their Arabs . Why should Israel want to do this in the West bank .