Continued W.Bank settlements not legitimate: Obama

[Scurrilous]

Source: AFP

<snip>

"The United States does not view continued Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as legitimate, President Barack Obama told the UN General Assembly Wednesday.

"We continue to emphasize that America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements (in the West Bank)," he said in a maiden speech to the 192-member body.

The US leader made the remarks a day after holding inconclusive talks in New York with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.

Saeb Erakat, chief Palestinian negotiator, welcomed Obama's comments.

"We are encouraged and highly appreciate President Obama's statements on settlements being illegal and calling to an end of the occupation that started in 1967," he told AFP."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090923/wl_afp/undiplomacyusobamamideastsettlements

[shadowknows69]

1. So when do we stop the money until they comply again?

[Vidar]

2. I'm pleased Obama's beginning to split with the Likkud death dealers.

[Martin Eden]

3. It will take a LOT MORE than witholding financial aid

Realistically, the 2-state solution to peace bewteen Israel and the Palestinians is even MORE DIFFICULT than is presented by the media.

Have you ever seen a map of the West Bank with all of its settlements and roads that are off-limits to Palestinians? Their proposed "state" is diced up beyond recognizion of any intact sovereign border. Setting aside the non-contiguence of the West Bank with the Gaza Strip, in order for the West Bank to become a sovereign state the Israelis would have to either abandon all those settlements and roads, or consent to Israelis living in a Palestinian state subject to Palestinian authority.

What in the history of the last 60 years would lead anyone to believe that is even remotely possible without some very drastic turn of events? Do you recall a few years ago when a small number of settlers were evictewd by the Israelis from an "illegal" outpost? The violent resistance to that minor evacuation is nothing compared to the upheaval that would accompany the removal of Israelis from all the settlements east of the wall they are constructing, let alone the 1967 boundary.

Surely our State Department and President Obama must be aware of this reality. Do they really expect to achieve any solution to this situation without a sea change in our policy towards israel? Would the mere witholding of financial aid (politically, a domestic near-impossibility) be enough without a concerted diplomatic effort to force Israel's hand?

[dvdaves75]

6. you are right

It will take a lot more than withholding money to make this situation better. It will take actual work on the part of both parties. That means no new settlements. No more rocket attacks into residential areas. Recognition on the part of every Arab state. If the sides aren't willing to do that, the rest is just talk to look good on CNN.

[Martin Eden]

7. No new settlements ...

It has proven very difficult to stop Israel from expanding its settlements ... getting them to abandon the existing settlements is many orders of magnitude more difficult.

But can peace based on a 2-state solution be achieved while the West Bank is diced into smaller pieces by Isreali settlements and the roads connecting them?

[dvdaves75]

9. the whole situation is disgusting

Nobody wants peace. The Israelis dont want it. They elected Netanyahu. The Palestinians dont want it. They elected Hamas. The irony is both of the parties have a lot in common. They are the people that nobody wants in their country, and yet instead of working together, they spend all of their energy killing each other. I hoped that things would get better when Arafat finally died, but all that did was bring a terrorist organization to power.

[closeupready]

8. Oh well. They made their bed. If civil unrest occurs as a result, they have themselves to blame.

Not the Palestinians.

[Babyserendip]

4. And what are you going to actualy do about it??? Stop the funding Obama???

...can u do that Obama? R u powerful enough?

Funny that Israel has a FULL PUBLIC OPTION HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AND WE HAVE???

Again...can u stop the settlements Obama? Can ya?

(Sorry for all the sarcasm...but this "liberal" President isn't aggressive ENOUGH ...and doesn't know how to truly fight the right...or the monied interests in his own party).

[The Stranger]

5. Yikes.