The Israeli government announced on November 25 that it was beginning a 10-month moratorium on new construction in West Bank settlements.
This is good news. It is evidence of the impact of President Barack
Obama's diplomacy and if implemented properly, this moratorium could
serve the cause of peace.
The Israeli government did not commit in this announcement to stop construction projects in East Jerusalem. Nor is Israel expected to stop work on projects where construction has already begun.
These exceptions are problematic. A full settlement freeze would better serve Israel's interests and would do more to convince Israel's partner for negotiations - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas - that Israel genuinely wants to resolve the fate of the settlements and East Jerusalem through negotiations.
The Obama administration reacted by praising this Israeli step. It also noted that this partial freeze does not meet all of America's expectations. The United States continues to oppose all settlement activity, including in East Jerusalem and construction which has already begun.
This is the right approach. The administration must now leverage this moment for progress towards a negotiated, two-state solution.
APN is calling on Israel to match the drama of this announcement with good faith and to avoid provocative acts that violate the spirit of the moratorium, like proceeding with construction in East Jerusalem. Israel must also stop settler law-breakers from spoiling this moment of opportunity for progress toward peace.
APN and our sister movement in Israel, Shalom Achshav, will closely monitor events in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, bearing in mind that actions on the ground can speak louder than words.
This is a role that only Peace Now can fill. No other organization has the "boots on the ground" in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to track developments. No other group has the credibility, nurtured through years of responsible reporting, to be taken seriously.
Click here for more resources on the settlement moratorium.
The Israeli government did not commit in this announcement to stop construction projects in East Jerusalem. Nor is Israel expected to stop work on projects where construction has already begun.
These exceptions are problematic. A full settlement freeze would better serve Israel's interests and would do more to convince Israel's partner for negotiations - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas - that Israel genuinely wants to resolve the fate of the settlements and East Jerusalem through negotiations.
The Obama administration reacted by praising this Israeli step. It also noted that this partial freeze does not meet all of America's expectations. The United States continues to oppose all settlement activity, including in East Jerusalem and construction which has already begun.
This is the right approach. The administration must now leverage this moment for progress towards a negotiated, two-state solution.
APN is calling on Israel to match the drama of this announcement with good faith and to avoid provocative acts that violate the spirit of the moratorium, like proceeding with construction in East Jerusalem. Israel must also stop settler law-breakers from spoiling this moment of opportunity for progress toward peace.
APN and our sister movement in Israel, Shalom Achshav, will closely monitor events in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, bearing in mind that actions on the ground can speak louder than words.
This is a role that only Peace Now can fill. No other organization has the "boots on the ground" in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to track developments. No other group has the credibility, nurtured through years of responsible reporting, to be taken seriously.
Click here for more resources on the settlement moratorium.
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Calling Netanyahu's announcement of a settelment freeze that does not include Jerusalem and does not stop projects in work "problematic" is an understatement. If I were Abbas, I would reject this offer as too little, too late.
Will the temporary, partial freeze include E1??
Your blog does not note that Netanyahu's offer came only after Israel's moves to control all the land was so prolonged that it pushed Abbas to the brink of resignation. It feels like Israel made the present offer only in response to Abbas' threatened resignation, and only too keep Abbas in the game. It is not a good enough offer and it will not work.
Finally, you assign major credit for Netanyahu's announcement to APN and Shalom Ackshav. How much credit goes to J Street, IPF, Brit Tzedek, George Mitchel and the Obama Administration, Abbas' threatened resignation, and the almost completed prisoner exchange deal?
best jeff