By Thomas L. Friedman
Continuing to build settlements (illegal settlements) in the West Bank, and even housing in disputed East Jerusalem, is sheer madness. Yasir Arafat accepted that Jewish suburbs there would be under Israeli sovereignty in any peace deal that would also make Arab parts of East Jerusalem the Palestinian capital. Israel’s planned housing expansion now raises questions about whether Israel will ever be willing to concede a Palestinian capital in Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem — a big problem.
Israel has already bitten off plenty of the West Bank. If it wants to remain a Jewish democracy, its only priority now should be striking a deal with the Palestinians that would allow it to swap those settlement blocs in the West Bank occupied by Jews for an equal amount of land from Israel for the Palestinians and then reap the benefits — economic and security — of ending the conflict. [nytimes.com]
http://thepoliticalelite.com/tag/illegal-west-bank-settlements/
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I`ve said it before and I`ll say it again, Israeli political leader don`t seem to want peace. They starve, bully and imprison the Palestinians and then they cry, “how dare they defend themselves” all the while ever expanding illegal settlements and illegally occupy Palestine, the very source of discontent. These are traits of a political system that has no desire for peace.