Olmert ponders toughest question

[Englander]

By James Reynolds
BBC News, Jerusalem

For almost four decades, the state of Israel has faced one central, defining question: what to do with the land (and people) it captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.


Israel has given back some bits - the Sinai, the Gaza Strip.

And it has decided to hold onto other bits, such as the Golan Heights.

That leaves the West Bank: the land that the Palestinians want as the basis of a state of their own.

For years Israel has been moving its own citizens into the West Bank as settlers, in defiance of international law.

These people are now scattered about in more than 100 different settlements built next to, in between, and on top of, Palestinian towns and cities.

More at;
BBC News

[NJ_Lib]

1. Yes, but, many of those settlements are...

... ultra-religious Jews who are totally anti-government in Israel... In fact, they have clashes with the Israeli army all the time... It's a mixed-bag in the settlements...

[dmkinsey]

2. Never the less, they fill the role of blocking resolution

The settlers may squabble with the Israeli government but their presence makes a Palestinian state nearly impossible.
International discussions about the two-state question are really useless while Israeli's are developing the Palestinian land as if it is part of Israel

[acmavm]

3. Israel has no intention of cooperating with anyone to end

the conflict with the Palestinians. Never has, never will.

Take a good look at the reasons Olmert is here right now. He wants to grab more land and he wants us to fund the project.

International law apparently means nothing to the US (in the shape of the bush** admin.) or Israel.

[NJ_Lib]

4. Well, your post is really based on opinion, not...

... facts... There are many who would agree with you but just as many who would disagree...

[acmavm]

5. Opinion backed by past behavior.