23 Mar, 2010
Netanyahu admits Israel not willing to negotiate peace with Palestine
Posted by: zaphod In: Politics as Usual
Speaking to members of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), refering to new Israeli construction in East Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared yesterday
“The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years ago and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today. Jerusalem is not a settlement. It’s our capital! …”
“Everyone knows, everyone — Americans, Europeans, Israelis certainly, Palestinians — everyone knows that these neighborhoods will be part of Israel in any peace settlement.”
Of course, it is also common knowledge that the Palestinians have predicated peace negotiations on their claim to Jerusalem, and in particular ”these neighborhoods”, as their capital. Although Netanyahu goes on to claim that these new Israeli settlements will have no impact on the “two-state solution”, logic dictates that there can be no peace settlement under the current conditions.
Both sides in this conflict continue to make statements and take stands that they know to be unacceptable to the other. Neither side yet wants peace; they still want to win. It is well past time for the United States and the rest of the international community to accept that negotiation is futile and wash our hands of this foolish squabble. “Boys will be boys”, so let them work it out. They’ll make peace eventually, one way or another.
