Monday, February 16, 2009

Israel makes another West Bank Land grab


Israel has seized another 425 acres of West Bank Land. This will create challenges for President Obama who has promised to get quickly involved in Middle East peace. President Obama will have great difficulty working with the next government of Israel if it is led by hardliner Benjamin Netanyahu. No party has enough votes to form a government at the moment, but the right wing Likud party seems to have the best chance.

Israel takes control of more West Bank land
Feb 16 05:35 AM US/Eastern
By KARIN LAUB
Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel has taken control of 425 acres of West Bank land, paving the way for the possible construction of 2,500 settlement homes, officials said Monday.

Successive Israeli governments have broken promises to the United States to halt settlement expansion, defined by Washington as an obstacle to peace. Ongoing expansion is likely to create particular friction with President Barack Obama, whose Mideast envoy, George Mitchell, has long pushed for a settlement freeze.

Obama has said he would get involved quickly in Mideast peace efforts.

The composition of Israel's next government is not yet clear following inconclusive elections last week. However, right-wing parties are given a better chance to form a ruling coalition, with hardline leader Benjamin Netanyahu at the helm. (excerpted) read more at breitbart.com

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

For every rocket attack against Jews, Israel should take another 400 acres. That would stop the rockets in no time at all..

Anonymous said...

Under Bush, they got away with this because whenever the U.N. tried to step in, we blocked it. Obama hardly needs to lift a finger to reign them in. He just needs to not be an Israeli puppet like Bush.

Carl Wicklander said...

The momentum's swinging toward Netanyahu.

Anonymous said...

"For every rocket attack against Jews, Israel should take another 400 acres. That would stop the rockets in no time at all.."

Please realize that part of the reason militants residing in Palestine are launching rockets into Israel is because Israel has been occupying the land since their state was established. It doesn't surprise me, however, because this pattern fits very well with the culture of conquest that continues to toxify the discourse of the political elite today.