(Jerusalem Post) Barry Rubin - The announcement that 1,600 apartments would be built in east Jerusalem was neither a provocation, the establishment of a "new settlement," nor proof that Israel doesn't want peace. The area in question is a neighborhood about five blocks from the pre-1967 border. The haredim who live there have the highest birth rate in the country and desperately need new apartments. At most, this announcement shows that Israel doesn't intend to give up all of east Jerusalem as part of a peace agreement. That's not exactly news. Why aren't Western countries and media saying that the PA's refusal to negotiate for 15 months shows that it doesn't want peace? As long as much of the West keeps sending the wrong signals - it's all Israel's fault, no real pressure will be put on the PA - their policy will delay any progress toward peace.
2010-03-16 09:25:27Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive