| Israeli New Settlement : Why Not Sanction ?
International press has reported that Israel’s decision to press ahead with the construction of new settlements in East Jerusalem could be ‘very dangerous,’ the US president, Barack Obama, said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News. ‘I think that additional settlement building does not contribute to Israel’s security. I think it makes it harder for them to make peace with their neighbours,’ Obama said in excerpts from the interview posted on the television network’s web site. ‘I think it embitters the Palestinians in a way that could end up being very dangerous,’ he said.
However Obama indicated the move would not affect US support for its key ally, Israel. ‘The situation in the Middle East is very difficult,’ the US leader said.
‘I’ve said repeatedly and I’ll say again, Israel’s security is a vital national interest to the United States, and we will make sure they are secure.’Israel has defended the interior ministry’s decision to approve the construction of 900 new housing units in Gilo in East Jerusalem, which Israel considers an integral part of its capital and the Palestinians want to make the capital of their promised state. Gilo is one of a dozen Jewish settlements in the eastern part of the Holy City, which Israel has annexed in a move not recognized by the international community.The move to expand it was likely to further hamper Washington’s so-far futile efforts to get Israel and the Palestinians to restart their peace talks, which were suspended during the Gaza war at the turn of the year. Meanwhile, Russia criticised a decision by Israel to build hundreds of new homes in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, calling it ‘unacceptable’ for the peace process. The United States delivered Tuesday an unusually strong rebuke of Israel, voicing dismay at the approval of new Jewish housing in annexed east Jerusalem as peace efforts hit a new low. ‘Moscow reacts to these announcements with extreme concern,’ the foreign ministry said in a statement, calling the plan ‘unacceptable for the Middle Eastern peace process.’ The Israeli interior ministry on Tuesday approved the construction of 900 new housing units in annexed east Jerusalem. Russia — a member of the international quartet for Middle East peace — called on Israel to rethink the plan, saying that it went against the view of the international community that new settlement activity must end. We deplore the Israeli policy.We also condemn weak US policy. When Israel is flouting all the requests of US apart from the demands of international law, what is the point for Mr Obama to declare Israel as key ally and declaring that Israel’s action will not affect support for Israel. This is indeed funny and it does not behove Obama who wants to follow a relatively more moral line in international relations.Why not impose a sanction on Israel ? For much smaller things sanction has been imposed and continued in some cases for decades.
|