Netanyahu Demands Settlements Remain As Part of a Peace Deal

by Stephen Lendman

His demand is unacceptable, a nonstarter, more proof of Israel rejecting conflict resolution, wanting endless occupation harshness - Palestinians denied their fundamental rights.

According to a Haaretz report, Netanyahu demanded during 2014 US-brokered peace talks that settlements be allowed to remain in place.

A draft document said settlers "who choose to remain" in a future Palestinian state be allowed to stay "in place…under Palestinian jurisdiction and with full rights and protections."

In his 2011 address to a joint session of Congress, Netanyahu said "(i)n any peace agreement that ends the conflict, some settlements will end up beyond Israel's borders."

In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, they're all illegally "beyond (its) borders."

In January 2014, Netanyahu blustered "I have said in the past, and I repeat today - I do not intend to remove a single settlement (nor) displace a single Israeli."

Palestinians categorically reject the notion of around 650,000 settlers occupying any parts of their future state, especially the most valued areas.

Likely speaking for others, not himself, in July 2013, months before 2014 peace talks began, longtime Israeli collaborator Abbas said "(i)n a final resolution, we would not see the presence of a single Israeli, civilian or soldier, on our lands."

Last Thursday, PLO executive committee member Hanan Ashrawi denounced Israeli plans for construction of at least another 2,500 settlement units on stolen Palestinian land - including on a new Amichai settlement, the first in over 20 years, saying:

"Israel is making a mockery of the international community and the global justice system."

"Clearly, Israel's creeping annexation of Palestine is escalating because of the international community's inability to translate its verbal statements and condemnations into serious and concrete actions to bring Israel to account."

Aswari blasted neocon US UN envoy Nikki Haley for "browbeating the international community (to) ensur(e) Israel gets a free pass."

Last week, Israeli housing and construction minister Yoav Galant proposed building 67,000 more settlement units - on the phony pretext of easing an alleged "real estate crisis" in Tel Aviv.

On June 6, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Israel's occupation, Netanyahu pledged to "protect the settlement enterprise."

"No one will be uprooted from their home," he blustered. "I'm doing everything to protect the settlement enterprise."

He reassured his extremist settler base that settlement expansions will continue in "all parts of Judea and Samaria" - adding Israel continues building "both inside and outside the settlements."

His statement contradicted an April-announced regime policy of "restraint" on settlement construction.

At the time, the settlement watchdog group Peace Now accused Israel of attempting to "fool the international community," stressing regime policy on settlements is unrestrained.

Chances for conflict resolution as far ahead as one dare predict, affording Palestinians their long denied fundamental rights, is zero.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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