“So far we have not reached agreement on a single question — every issue remains up for discussion … Even if (US Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice or someone speaking in her name says, even if (Israeli Foreign Minister) Tzipi Livni or someone speaking in her name says that there are agreements being prepared, it`s not true….
“Everyone knows that Israel has not for one moment halted the settlement construction, the building of the (separation) wall or the attacks, and nor has it allowed the opening of (Palestinian) institutions in (Arab east) Jerusalem”.
He’s right you know:
“Peace Now estimates that over 1,000 new buildings (2,600 housing units) are being constructed in West Bank settlements. One hundred twenty-five new structures have been added to so-called outpost settlements, including 30 permanent houses. Housing starts in the West Bank during the second quarter of 2008 increased by 42 percent from the same period last year. Seven percent of all new housing starts in Israel in 2008 are located in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem).
Construction continues in the settlements east of the barrier. At least 425 new buildings have been constructed there this year”.
Most analysts, for example Ali Abunimah, Zvi Bar’el, Aaron David Miller and Nathan Brown [.pdf], are, for various reasons (there are many to choose from), pessimistic about the prospects for peace in the forseeable future. Certainly, with the siege of Gaza more intense than ever, the colonisation and annexation of the West Bank proceeding at a sharply accelerated pace and the divisions within the Palestinian polity showing no sign of disappearing, things are looking extremely bleak. On the other hand, I doubt Obama will be particularly committed to an expansionist Israel, which means that popular activism will have a real chance of reversing U.S. support for the occupation. Whether that activism will develop is something that remains to be seen.
Filed under: Israeli / Palestinian | Leave a Comment
Tags: "peace process", Abbas, Annapolis, Fatah, Hamas, Rice
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