Comments on: Settlements: The ‘Pause’ That Doesn’t Refresh

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:43:23 +0000

Oh my, there are enough people who can issue those building permits, but not enough to monitor and enforce a pause in construction? What a conundrum. Perhaps they can get the IDF to do it, as opposed to, say, bulldozing Palestinian homes in East Jerussalem.

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:31:15 +0000

I was thinking of you in the back of my mind as I wrote this & I was doing so sadly because I had such hope that something was possible w. Obama. I still haven’t utterly given up hope. But I think a good outcome has receded far into the distance as a possibility.

By: fiddler

fiddler — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:36:20 +0000

No offer is so fake and so small there can’t be a loophole drilled in. Look what Menachem Mazuz is warning (ahem) his govt against:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1130865.html

“No really, we were absolutely sincere about keeping our commitment to pause, but we simply don’t have the manpower. With facts on the ground like these, what can you do?”

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:08:03 +0000

This “pause” is nothing more than a rewording of the same non-starter crap Netanyahu served up to the Palestinians several weeks ago and which Abbas rejected. There is nothing here but false promises: Israel will “temporarily freeze new construction,” but only in the West Bank, and it will continue with the present plans it has to continue with everything else. It’s like offering someone a stick of gum, but giving them only the wrapper.

I’m embarrassed for George Mitchell, who is being forced to go along with this farce. As for the others, this kind of crap is right up their alley, I’m afraid.

By: Gene Schulman

Gene Schulman — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:57:52 +0000

You’ve finally caught on, Richard. That’s what Obama was hired for, to blow smoke in the eyes of the idiots who believe in change.

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:42:32 +0000

The last few paragrahps by Levy are interesting. What is bizarre to me is that he seems to believe Obama has some magic up his sleeve that will advance things to the next stage. I see nothing. What does Obama have on Bibi? What can he do unless he’s willing to put the screws to him? Notice Levy didn’t even allude to this as an option. But imo if Obama doesn’t go there he might as well close up shop & go home. Focus on health care, give up on the Israeli-Arab conflict. Because if he doesn’t have the guts to do anything real that will hurt, then he’s just blowing smoke…

By: orgo

orgo — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:57:10 +0000

check out this piece by levy

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-levy/netanyahus-stubbornness-o_b_371352.html?

Beilin throws cold water freeze http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3810939,00.html

as does eldar
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1130774.html