U.S. expected to pressure Israel on settlement construction

[Idealism]

Even though the American administration would prefer an Israeli government that is committed to a two-state solution, the United States does not intend to take a stance on the composition of the next coalition. In view of the expected naming of Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu to form a coalition with the support of right-wing parties, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. envoy George Mitchell will focus during their next visit to Jerusalem on efforts to preserve the West Bank under the control of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

The Americans will demand that Israel avoid creating new facts on the ground that may burden achieving an agreement in the future. Toward this end, the U.S. administration is preparing to put heavy pressure on the new government to freeze all settlement construction and keep its promises to lift roadblocks. A freeze on settlement activity will be a higher priority than removing illegal outposts.

Measures the Obama administration is likely will be to cut the equivalent sum of the latest investments in settlements from the remaining budget for U.S. guaranteed loans, approximately $1.3 billion out of a total of $10 billion that the U.S. made available to Israel for it to absorb immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

snip

If the Obama administration confirms the report that appeared last week in Haaretz, and which was not denied by Lieberman, the Yisrael Beiteinu leader may not be granted a visa to enter the U.S. The close cooperation between Israel and the U.S. on matters of strategy, defense, economics, commerce, tourism and transportation means that ministers charged with relevant portfolios often visit the United States.


Edit for link, thanks Indiana: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1064162.html

[IndianaGreen]

1. You forgot to post the link

Thanks!

[Idealism]

3. Thank you, ma'am

[IndianaGreen]

2. What's this about 'preserve the West Bank'?

Settlement construction and removal of Palestinians have gone unabated in the West Bank since 1967.

[LeftishBrit]

4. Good.

This is the sort of pressure that might actually work.

And American governments always do put pressure on Israel - the difference is whether the pressure is toward hawkishness or toward peace.

[IndianaGreen]

5. The best thing the US can do is to leave the Middle East altogether

and stop providing money and armaments to the countries in the region, without exception.

Left on its own, Israel will have no choice but to make peace or go bankrupt.

[oberliner]

6. Would that include cutting off aid to the Palestinians as well?

And do you think other countries ought to follow suit?

[IndianaGreen]

7. Humanitarian aid is not subsidizing of settlements or providing armaments

The US has been playing colonial nanny for too long. It was such idiotic attitude that got us to sub for France in Vietnam.

Our enabling of Israel is what produced 41 years of Occupation.

[oberliner]

8. Other countries are providing armaments nt

[IndianaGreen]

9. It won't be coming out of our pockets!

We need every dollar for the rebuilding of America.

[oberliner]

10. The total amount of all the aid we give to every country in the world is miniscule

Take a look at the US budget for 2009.

[IndianaGreen]

11. Therefore, Israel won't miss us at all!

WIN-WIN

[oberliner]

12. Small percentage of the US budget - big amount of money for the countries we send aid to

We've got a hell of a lot more money than any of the countries we send aid to.

We don't miss it - but they would.

[IndianaGreen]

13. My heart bleeds!

:nopity:

The sooner we get out of the Middle East, the better off everyone will be.

[wuushew]

14. In 2008 Israel had the 53rd largest economy by GDP

right below Denmark. Denmark, also a small country does not suckle at our teet.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html

[oberliner]

15. Egypt was 29th on that list and they get almost as much aid as Israel

And over 20 places higher!

[Alamuti Lotus]

16. I stopped reading after "U.S. expected to pressure Israel"...