East Jerusalem

Israel and the Europeans: On a Course to Conflict Over Jerusalem

By Orly Noy, Ir Amim's Spokesperson

A month after Prime Minister Netanyahu announced a limited "freeze" on construction in Israeli-controlled Palestinian territory, it appears that his action will not end international pressure on Israel. True, the United States welcomed the announcement and attempted to solicit positive responses from other members of the Quartet. But outside the United States, Netanyahu's belated response--described by many commentators within Israel as half-hearted--has not had the same effect. Indeed, Israel appears to be on a collision course with several European states and the newly-enhanced European Union.

Netanyahu considering 10 month settlement freeze

Haaretz reported this morning that Prime Minister Netanyahu is considering seeking cabinet or governmental approval for a ten month settlement freeze in the West Bank. This would not include Israeli construction in East Jerusalem. Israeli officials have said that Netanyahu hopes this move will enable the renewal of peace talks with the Palestinians, although Palestinian officials have demanded a total freeze in settlement construction in East Jerusalem as well as the West Bank as a precondition to negotiations.

US demands Israel to halt construction in Gilo

Following discovery of Israeli plans to construct a new residential area in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, Special Envoy George Mitchell met with Attorney Isaac Molcho to voice US disaproval of the plans and to demand that Prime Minister Netanyahu prevent construction approval from being given.

Shimon Shiffer in Yedioth Ahronoth reports:

Voices from Jerusalem: Archeology and National Claims in Jerusalem

By Yonathan Mizrachi

The film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -- the fourth in the Indiana Jones series--portrays an archaeologist who seeks to return a crystal skull of great importance to the place where it was found. As an archaeologist, Indiana Jones' role is not just to find artifacts but to rescue them from the hands of the bad guys and return them to their places of origin. Jones puts his resourcefulness, knowledge and strength of conviction to the task, and he succeeds in returning the archaeological find -- in this case the crystal skull -- to its original place. The world is saved.

An Israeli View: Israel and UDI

In recent weeks, the two most senior moderate Palestinian leaders have put forth the option of Palestinian unilateral independence. In his Bethlehem speech in early August, which is now official Fateh policy, President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) proposed a unilateral declaration of independence as one of two Palestinian fall-back positions in the event final status negotiations for a two-state solution fail (his other fall-back option is a one-state solution).

Settlement Freeze Focus Dominates Netanyahu's European Tour

In his series of meetings with leaders in Europe this week, Benjamin Netanyahu was faced with one issue time and again-the need to freeze settlement construction in the West Bank.

In Netanyahu's meeting with Gordon Brown on Tuesday, Brown called settlement construction an obstacle to a two state solution, saying that a freeze would likely open the door to normalization measures by Arab states.

Netanyahu agrees to a settlement freeze

Ha'aretz reports that after meeting with Special Envoy George Mitchell in London yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to a temporary settlement freeze of six to nine months in the West Bank. The U.S. has conceded that this will not apply to construction in East Jerusalem or to buildings in the West Bank where construction has already began.

A Palestinian view: Optional and problematic

The second phase of the roadmap was always the most problematic part of that document, particularly to the Palestinian side.

Phase II calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state with provisional borders for a transitional period. From a Palestinian perspective, this has serious problems, but the Palestinian side was able to live with the document because it stipulates that the clause about "provisional borders" was optional and would be implemented only if the parties agreed. In other words, the second phase does not have the same level of binding commitment that the first and last phases embody.

A Palestinian View: Abbas emerges strengthened

The convening of Fateh's Sixth General Conference in Bethlehem is a significant development. Indeed, the Fateh movement, which has long led the modern Palestinian political movement and was responsible for transforming the Palestinian problem from a humanitarian issue into a political cause and an issue of self-determination, was in danger of collapse until the conference.

The movement faced three major problems: legitimacy, unity within the movement and lack of leadership.

Hamas Again Accepts a Palestinian State on The 1967 Lines

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Hamas Chief Khaled Meshaal told Jay Solomon and Julien Barnes-Dacey in an interview that "We along with other Palestinian factions in consensus agreed upon accepting a Palestinian state on the 1967 lines. This is the national program. This is our program.