Olmert: Convergence to cost USD 10 billion

[Scurrilous]

PM Olmert tells Wall Street Journal he will seek broad international support for his plan to withdraw some 70,000 settlers from West Bank; On planned May visit to U.S. PM will ask financial backing for plan, which will be completed within 18 months

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3239420,00.html

<snip>

"In an interview published Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said his “convergence plan” will cost up to USD 10 billion.

Olmert said he plans to visit Washington in May to seek U.S. political and financial backing for his plan.

The newly appointed prime minister said he intends on withdrawing 70,000 Jewish settlers from the West Bank, less than a third of the 250,000 currently living beyond the Green Line.

In return, Israel will keep hold of large West Bank settlement blocks, where most of the evacuees will be relocated.

Olmert will ask for Washington to help him gather international support for plans to draw up final borders with the Palestinians to ensure a Jewish majority in Israel for decades to come."

[Tom Joad]

1. Maybe they can organize garage sales.

Then maybe my community can keep paying all its teachers, instead of paying for yet another military occupation.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Then again,...

...maybe you could orgainze a garage sell and donate the proceeds to a local school and you might be able to stop complaining about the resolution of the I/P conflict even though it doesn't follow your roadmap!

[Tom Joad]

14. Foreign occupations do not deserve taxpayer support.

Education and other human needs are fundamental to our society.

We have to change the perverse priorities of the way our society is governed.

[Coastie for Truth]

11. I work for a living in California

I pay sales taxes, car taxes, income taxes, lot taxes, etc. to subsidize the students, faculty, and staff of the UC and CSU systems, Tommie.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. Perhaps people were thinking this would be a no cost deal?

It costs money to make a place "Juedenreined."

[Scurrilous]

4. Juedenreined?

Is that what you call it when you evacuate settlers from one West Bank settlement...

"The newly appointed prime minister said he intends on withdrawing 70,000 Jewish settlers from the West Bank.."

...and relocate them in another?

"In return, Israel will keep hold of large West Bank settlement blocks, where most of the evacuees will be relocated."

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Yup! That's what it is called!

Removing ALL Jews from somewhere is creating a "Juedenrein" scenario.

I do love your selective quoting, so let me do the same...

"Olmert will ask for Washington to help him gather international support for plans to draw up final borders with the Palestinians to ensure a Jewish majority in Israel for decades to come.""

[cali]

6. It's an Occupation.

You're using language that's fraught with emotion, and inappropriate to the situation. The Jews living on the land under discussion are part of an illegal Occupation. That's just a fact. Undoubtedly, it's painful for them to have to leave, but that can be laid squarely at the feet of the Israeli government.

[Coastie for Truth]

12. And some of us live on lands - in CALIFORNIA USA

that the Conquistadors and Father Junipero Serra (yup - the one they named the Expressway after) stole from the Ohlone Nation, and then the Anglos stole a quarter of the US from the Spanish Speaking Native Americans by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, and now, in direct violation of the side letters to the Treaty - the US is trying to limit the freedom of movement (guaranteed by said side letters) of the Spanish Speaking Native Americans.

RECONQUISTA

[Behind the Aegis]

16. Not at all inappropriate.

What Israel is doing is akin to ethnic cleansing. They are removing all the Jews from the area. While they are there 'illegally,' have you ever asked yourself, why can't they be allowed to stay under Palestinian rule?

I can answer it for you: the PA won't have it!

I appreciate your neutrality. Your recent contributions to this forum have been very refreshing, even if I don't always agree with you. :)

[cali]

19. thanks.

But honestly, are you suggesting that the settlers would want to stay under Palestinian rule? That seems to me to be really reaching. I also don't see how you can call this ethnic cleansing, which is a brutal process done by one group against another.

[Scurrilous]

7. Then you can't be referring to the West Bank...

...because the Jewish settlers aren't being removed, they're just being relocated.


BTW...I wish Olmert good luck gathering international support for his plan.

He's going to need it. :thumbsup:

[Behind the Aegis]

17. They are being removed.

They are being taken from one place (removed). After their removal, they will have to go some where (relocation). It doesn't change the fact that part of the creation of Palestine is based on making her Juedenreined.

[Poll_Blind]

10. But, wait, I thought there were lots of indigenous Palestinian Jews?

You know, the ones living in the area before Israel was formed. This isn't about moving all the Jews out- it's about moving all the Israelis out.

PB

[Coastie for Truth]

13. Yeah! Get informed.

Try this book "Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations Collide" by Bat Yeor, Miriam Kochan, and David Littman and this web site www.jimena.org. And, oh yes - my wife's uncle is married to a Syrian Separdi, and their daughter is married to a French-Algerian Separdi (both work for the UN), speak Arabic in their home - and they can't get Visas. So please, get informed.

[Poll_Blind]

20. So you're saying there were lots of indigenous Jews there but not anymore?

It'd be nicer if you'd just state an opinion rather than handing out someone else's website as a proxy for your own thoughts. Instead of "Try this book" or "Try this website", feel free to state a synopsis of all that material- your own opinion. I, and many other readers, don't enjoy taking the time to read pages and pages of material in an attempt to deduce what your opinion is, from it.

For instance, it was interesting reading your longish writing on the "oil fixation" of the United States.

PB

[Poll_Blind]

21. Is it too much to ask Israel to pay for the settlers' removal?

Why? Why should the U.S. pay for Israelis to stop breaking international law?

Why don't they just do it because it's...the right thing to do?

Hamas has recently indicated that it would recognize the nation of Israel.

I don't see them demanding money for it.

PB

[Malikshah]

8. Wow-- occupy a place, illegally settle folks there, put countless

thousands of civilians at risk and then ask for others to bail you out.

What's the word...

chutz·pah also hutz·pah Audio pronunciation of "chutzpah" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (tsp, ht-)
n.

Utter nerve; effrontery: “has the chutzpah to claim a lock on God and morality” (New York Times).

balls is another one.

[Phx_Dem]

9. Sounds like progress to me

"Olmert said although Israel maintains it has no peace partner on the Palestinian side, he intends on providing favorable conditions that will eventually lead to a final peace agreement through negotiations and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state."

[Poll_Blind]

15. It is, I just wish we U.S. citizens didn't have to shell out money for it.

Of course, the billions we give Israel probably helped move the settlers there in the first place so I guess it's only fair that way pay for the crime to be comitted and pay to have the criminals removed.

PB

[Englander]

18. When's 'eventually'?

2010? 2020? 2030? 2040? 2050? When do these 'negotiations' begin, if there isn't a
peace partner, & when will the independent Palestinian state be established, if the parts
of the West Bank are needed to create said state are behind a concrete wall?