Stop this stupidity
According to a recent news flash on haaretz Israel has approved the building of hundreds of new settlements in the so called 'concensus' settlements south and west of Jerusalem. There are also suggestions that settlements built illegally without government approval are going to be legalised by the government or as it is put "laundered". Whoever remembers Talia Sasoon's report on the settlements?
In the background "Operation Summer Rains" continues to go on in Gaza, which basically consists of a series of futile military operations, the unnecessary closure of the karni and rafah crossing and a "basket" of other measures, which have included the bombing of Gaza's electricity station. All ofcourse this will somehow miraculously lead to Gilad Shalit's release and the a complete cessation of Kassam rockets.
A number of interesting op-eds have been printed in Haaretz of late most notably Danny Rubinstein's in today's Haaretz and Gideon Levy in Sunday's edition. Danny Rubinstein correctly observed today that the real commission of inquiry should be into Israel's policies in the territories. He points to Moshe Dayan's policies, that for over 20 years there were no check points at all in the territories and obviously complete freedom of movement for Palestinians. Not that Dayan was particularly sensitive to the problems Israel confronted in the territories. Gorenberg's comprehensive book on the settlement enterprise released earlier this year provides plenty of ammunition in this regard. The point is it is now taken as normal that the territories can hermeuretically sealed for long periods of time and its no big deal. Its Israel's security after all.
The current situation can not continue to go on. I can not believe that a Centrist Israeli government can be behaving with such reckless regard on this issue. Where is Amir Peretz, in respect of what is happening in Gaza? As Defence Miniser, surely he knows what the IDF is doing down there? Olmert has repeated that his silly "realignment" plan is shelved for the time being. Does this mean his not wiling to reengage on the Pal. issue at all?
Its not good enough for Israel to simply build a wall, separate and not deal with the Palestinian issue. It is a lazy, foolish attitude, which will get Israel nowhere.
In the background "Operation Summer Rains" continues to go on in Gaza, which basically consists of a series of futile military operations, the unnecessary closure of the karni and rafah crossing and a "basket" of other measures, which have included the bombing of Gaza's electricity station. All ofcourse this will somehow miraculously lead to Gilad Shalit's release and the a complete cessation of Kassam rockets.
A number of interesting op-eds have been printed in Haaretz of late most notably Danny Rubinstein's in today's Haaretz and Gideon Levy in Sunday's edition. Danny Rubinstein correctly observed today that the real commission of inquiry should be into Israel's policies in the territories. He points to Moshe Dayan's policies, that for over 20 years there were no check points at all in the territories and obviously complete freedom of movement for Palestinians. Not that Dayan was particularly sensitive to the problems Israel confronted in the territories. Gorenberg's comprehensive book on the settlement enterprise released earlier this year provides plenty of ammunition in this regard. The point is it is now taken as normal that the territories can hermeuretically sealed for long periods of time and its no big deal. Its Israel's security after all.
The current situation can not continue to go on. I can not believe that a Centrist Israeli government can be behaving with such reckless regard on this issue. Where is Amir Peretz, in respect of what is happening in Gaza? As Defence Miniser, surely he knows what the IDF is doing down there? Olmert has repeated that his silly "realignment" plan is shelved for the time being. Does this mean his not wiling to reengage on the Pal. issue at all?
Its not good enough for Israel to simply build a wall, separate and not deal with the Palestinian issue. It is a lazy, foolish attitude, which will get Israel nowhere.
posted by SJ at 6:36 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home