Israel delays West Bank pullout - Plan is casualty of war in Lebanon

[Fozzledick]

By Doug Struck
The Washington Post
Updated: 7:12 a.m. ET Aug 23, 2006

JERUSALEM, Aug. 22 - The Israeli government's plan to dismantle some Jewish settlements in the West Bank and redraw the country's borders is being shelved at least temporarily, a casualty of the war in Lebanon, government officials said.

The plan, which propelled Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to victory in March elections and was warmly endorsed by President Bush as a way of solving Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, is no longer a top priority, Olmert told his ministers last weekend, according to one of his advisers.

...

Critics said the attacks from southern Lebanon and Gaza showed it was folly to have abandoned those areas without a deal to ensure some authority remained there to curb attacks.

"I think that it is clear to everyone that the unilateral disengagement is a mistake," said Eli Yishai, minister of industry, trade and labor in Olmert's cabinet. "It's wrong to give up land unilaterally. It's clear to everyone that now it's canceled."

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14473425/


Another great victory by Hamas in it's ongoing struggle to prevent any peaceful settlement!

[idontwantaname]

1. It's wrong to give up land unilaterally

for those not paying attention, the israeli govt never had plans to leave the west bank... militarily or settlements.

its funny though that the violence is attributed to their not being there... as if army presence (not settlements which is what the disengagement is about) made things anymore peaceful.

[Tom Joad]

2. Israel never planned to leave much of the West Bank. The

only plan put forward by the sharon/olmert (approved by Bush) was to leave some isolated settlements, not leave the west bank as some people think. It would have left several disconnected Palestinian Bantustans, not a viable living situation at all. Between those Bantustans the Israeli govt. would have complete control.

[idontwantaname]

5. how absurd

cost of a bowl of hummus: 6NIS

american tax dollars to the israeli govt: $3.5 billion USD

to refuse to unilaterally "give up" land that you unilaterally took in the first place: priceless.

there are people with brains out there, for everyone else theres the israeli govt.

[acmavm]

3. Israel never intended to leave the West Bank. Israel never

intended to make the settlers leave. This 'war' provided the perfect excuse for them to continue to occupy that land.

And an even better one to snatch some more while they were at it.

[Denver Dave]

4. One excuse is as good as another

One excuse is as good as another when you don't wish to do something.

[breakaleg]

6. How convenient! They launch a war and then use that as the

pathetic excuse to stop the withdrawal of the West Bank. One would almost assume it was deliberate on their part to create this situation to further their goals in West Bank - give them a little more time to really secure the water supply and the prime lands there.

[Fozzledick]

7. Welcome to the Echo Chamber of Denial

:eyes: