Clinton: Israeli Home Demolitions 'Unhelpful'

[Idealism]

Clinton: Israeli Home Demolitions 'Unhelpful'
Israel has issued orders to destroy many Palestinian homes in Jerusalem

RAMALLAH, West Bank - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday promised vigorous and personal involvement in stalled Mideast peace efforts and criticized Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes in Jerusalem as "unhelpful."

Clinton also displayed strong public support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian Authority is the "only legitimate government of the Palestinian people," she told a news conference, standing next to Abbas.

The Palestinian president has steadily lost support at home, particularly after a year of inconclusive peace talks with Israel. At the same time, his Islamic militant Hamas rivals, who seized Gaza from him in 2007, are widely seen as emerging stronger from Israel's recent military offensive against them.

On Tuesday, Clinton met with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. The hardline leader opposes the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel and supports the expansion of Israeli settlements on war-won land claimed by the Palestinians, including the West Bank and east Jerusalem.


More to read: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/03/04-7
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[Jefferson23]

1. "unhelpful", wow, don't get too carried away with that strong language

Secretary Clinton!

[Violet_Crumble]

4. The language of diplomacy is usually subtle and civil when chiding allies...

Understatement is how it works, and you've got to look at the message that's being sent, which in this case is distinct disapproval...

[Jefferson23]

6. Oh I think Secretary Clinton can risk a stronger word than unhelpful!

[LeftishBrit]

2. I agree (and she is using British-level understatement)

[Idealism]

3. She has seemed rather Tory-like in her statements

Failing to condemn China and Israel with anything but the weakest of sound bits. The lightly-worded critiques are not making us any new friends.

[azurnoir]

5. Pssst I am sure some Israeli politician needs to explain

to Ms Clinton how all of those things are "self defense" which she said Israel has a right to.:sarcasm:

[Scurrilous]

7. Israeli writers urge end to Palestinian evictions

<snip>

"Twenty Israeli recipients of the country's top honour urged the government to rescind orders to evict people from their homes in annexed, mostly Arab east Jerusalem, media reported.

In a letter addressed to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat the group of writers and researchers, all winners of the Israel Prize, stressed the "distress of families that can any day find themselves without shelter after the destruction of their homes," the Haaretz daily said.

The signatories also slammed the low number of construction permits handed out to Palestinians in east Jerusalem, which forces them "to build without authorisation."

"The city authority's policies over the past decades have created a situation in which thousands of people are not able to have a roof over their heads in land that belongs to them," they wrote.

Such policies "violate the obligations that Israel has toward civilians under its control and elementary human rights," said the letter, whose signatories included famed writers Amos Oz and David Grossman.

Over the past several weeks, Palestinian owners of 88 houses in the Silwan neighbourhood have received notices saying the structures will be destroyed because they were built or expanded without the necessary permits. The move would affect about 1,500 people."

more

[LeftishBrit]

8. Good for these writers - I hope that people listen to them!

It is a horribly unjust policy.

[Jefferson23]

9. Excellent that they spoke out as a group.

[Taitertots]

11. How many people effected?

Over the past several weeks, Palestinian owners of 88 houses in the Silwan neighbourhood have received notices saying the structures will be destroyed because they were built or expanded without the necessary permits. The move would affect about 1,500 people."


So 88 houses hold 1,500 people?

[Scurrilous]

10. U.S. turns up heat on Israel over settlements

<snip>

"Israel is under increased pressure from the United States over settlement construction. In the past month, since Barack Obama was sworn in as U.S. president, Israel has received four official complaints from members of the new administration regarding various issues linked to West Bank settlements.

A senior government official in Jerusalem told Haaretz that the complaints represent a gradual increase in American pressure vis-a-vis settlement activity. "This is going to be one of the main issues that the Obama administration will be dealing with in the coming weeks and months," the official said. "It is not going to be easy to argue with them."

The American complaints were relayed to Jerusalem via senior officials in the State Department as well as the National Security Council, which seek clarifications and explanations from Israel.

The four separate complaints relate to the demolition of Palestinian-owned homes in East Jerusalem, reports of Israeli plans to construct additional housing in the E1 area, between Maaleh Adumim and Jerusalem, the relocation of the illegal outpost at Migron to a new, as-yet unbuilt neighborhood of the Adam settlement and to plans to build thousands of new residential units in the settlement of Efrat.

"Thus far," the Israeli official said, "the issue has been raised by senior officials, but it is going to go higher up the hierarchy. It is a safe bet that special envoy George Mitchell will raise the matter when he makes his next visit to the Middle East in a few weeks, after the Netanyahu government is sworn in."

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[Scurrilous]

12. Razing of East Jerusalem homes sparks tension between U.S. and Israel

<snip>

"The dispute between the United States and Israel over the razing of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem is intensifying and will likely become the first clash between the Obama administration and the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S. argues that the destruction of homes constitutes a violation of commitments made as part of the road map. Israel says this is a domestic issue of law enforcement and that the future status of Jerusalem is only to be discussed in the final status negotiations.

"Apart from a dispute this issue will lead to nothing," a senior government official told Haaretz.

U.S. attention to the demolitions began after the visit to the region by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, catching Israel by surprise. Clinton was highly critical of Israel regarding the matter during her visit. She said that the demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem did not contribute to the peace process. Clinton was under considerable pressure from the Palestinian Authority to condemn the razings. The PA says the demolitions are politically motivated and insists that the issue is a bilateral one between Israel and the Palestinians.

Following Clinton's criticism the State Department asked Israel for detailed clarifications on the issue. Even before Israel had a chance to respond, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat added fuel to the fire by suggesting that Clinton's criticism was baseless.

The Americans reiterated during talks with Israeli officials that the demolitions are a contravention of the road map for peace. An April 2003 document approved by the cabinet states that no punitive action will be taken against Palestinians such as home demolitions.

Senior Foreign Ministry officials who discussed the matter with their U.S. counterparts argued that the East Jerusalem demolitions were not punitive, but rather part of enforcing municipal building codes.

In response to a State Department request Jerusalem prepared a detailed letter on the legal background to the issuing of demolition orders. The Foreign ministry argued that the matter is not a political one, but rather a legal one, and that all demolition orders were approved following a hearing of appeals at the Supreme Court.

The Foreign Ministry also insisted that the matter is internal and suggested that no U.S. involvement is necessary.

A senior political source in Jerusalem said the matter represents a serious disagreement between Israel and the U.S. that will be raised at the start of the dialogue between Washington and the Netanyahu government."

more

[Violet_Crumble]

13. U.S. furious over Israel's demolition of East Jerusalem homes

The dispute between the United States and Israel over the razing of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem is intensifying and will likely become the first clash between the Obama administration and the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S. argues that the destruction of homes constitutes a violation of commitments made as part of the road map. Israel says this is a domestic issue of law enforcement and that the future status of Jerusalem is only to be discussed in the final status negotiations.

"Apart from a dispute this issue will lead to nothing," a senior government official told Haaretz.

U.S. attention to the demolitions began after the visit to the region by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, catching Israel by surprise. Clinton was highly critical of Israel regarding the matter during her visit. She said that the demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem did not contribute to the peace process. Clinton was under considerable pressure from the Palestinian Authority to condemn the razings. The PA says the demolitions are politically motivated and insists that the issue is a bilateral one between Israel and the Palestinians.

Following Clinton's criticism the State Department asked Israel for detailed clarifications on the issue. Even before Israel had a chance to respond, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat added fuel to the fire by suggesting that Clinton's criticism was baseless.

The Americans reiterated during talks with Israeli officials that the demolitions are a contravention of the road map for peace. An April 2003 document approved by the cabinet states that no punitive action will be taken against Palestinians such as home demolitions.

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072813.html