Throughout decades of not giving the Palestinians a state, Israel’s most consistent strategy, beyond not giving them a state, has been to expand settlements in ways that would undercut any future efforts. President Trump’s “deal of the century” plan is the latest to run into this strategy.
One of the plans out of Trump’s deal was the establishment of a Palestinian tourism center in occupied East Jerusalem. This center is going to be very difficult to build, however, as Israel’s Housing Ministry has announced that they plan to build a Jewish neighborhood of 9,000 homes over the top of the same area.
The former Palestinian airport of Atarot was expected to be the site of a few Palestinian buildings under the Trump plan, as it is one of the few plots of land unused. Israel’s plan is to use up the whole of the airport neighborhood for this new settlement.
Peace Now, an anti-settlement NGO, was deeply critical of the move, saying the settlement would once again prevent a viable Palestinian state with a capital in East Jerusalem. That, it seems, is at least part of the idea.
It isn’t up to Israel to “give” or “not give” Palestinians a state.
And, in fact, the State of Palestine exists and is recognized by most UN member states and by the UN itself as an observer state. Israel doesn’t have to like that. That’s how it is whether Israel likes it or not.
Surely you are not serious. There is no “State” of Palestine–just bunch of people living in the W. Bank who have virtually no control over their lives or land. I’d suggest calling it the Occupied State of Palestine, although that sounds like an oxymoron.
It’s not about whether I’m serious. It’s about irrefutable facts. The State of Palestine is recognized by 136 other states, is an observer state member of the UN, is a member of Interpol, etc. And Israel has no say in the matter.
Yup, it’s recognized by many countries but does not meet the minimum requirements of a normal state when it has no control over the most important matters, domestic or international. Frankly, Palestine is joke headed by toady Abu Mazen, and before that the moronic dwarf Yasser Arafat. BTW, I’ve lived in the KSA and Muscat/Oman so do know something about that region, culture, and religion. The problem with Arabs is that they more bluster than substance. The Arabs of today are not the same people who within a hundred years after the death of the Prophet of Islam were knocking on the doors of India and Spain–just as the Italians of today are not the Romans of ancient times.
Israel wasn’t satisfied with the “steal of the century”. Plus, what’s the Don going to say about it? Nada.
no matter what happens israel never misses an opportunity to thumb their noses at their benefactor
As though the Trump “plan” was ever meant to be anything but a publicity gimmick.
Man, those Settlers are just the worst kind of tourist.