Posted on 05/14/2008 2:20:05 PM PDT by forkinsocket
The Israeli government defied American pressure on Wednesday and resolved to build hundreds of new homes inside a West Bank settlement as President George W Bush arrived to celebrate the country's 60th anniversary.
Shortly after landing at Ben Gurion airport, Mr Bush hailed Israel as America's "strongest ally and friend in the Middle East" and praised the region's "only true democracy" for standing firm against the "forces of terror".
The president's three-day visit will include an address to parliament on Thursday, marking the 60th anniversary of the country's foundation after British rule.
Palestinians refer to this event as "al-nakbar" or "the catastrophe", marking the moment of their defeat and dispossession.
Mr Bush acknowledged Palestinian emotions by pledging to work for a "homeland for the Palestinian people in the same way that Israel 60 years ago became the homeland for the Jewish people".
Peace talks sponsored by America began in Annapolis last year. Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister, meets Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president from the moderate Fatah faction, every two or three weeks.
But American officials believe that Israel should help these talks by halting the construction of new homes in West Bank settlements.
Earlier this month, the Quartet, an international body charged with bringing peace to the Middle East comprising America, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union, urged Israel to "freeze all settlement activity".
Within hours of Mr Bush's arrival, an Israeli cabinet minister said that approval would be granted soon for hundreds of new homes in Beitar Illit settlement.
Eli Yishai, the trade minister and leader of the ultra-religious Shas party, told Israeli radio that he was "happy" the government would "approve the construction".
Beitar Illit, the third largest West Bank settlement with a population of about 33,000, plans to build 800 new homes.
A spokesman for Israel's housing ministry denied that authorisation had been given.
"There is an option to build hundreds of units but we haven't discussed it at all," said Eran Sidis. However, he added: "There is no commitment not to build there."
Israel argues that building inside existing settlements does not amount to "expansion" because the construction takes place within existing boundaries and does not require the seizure of any more land. But the Quartet has explicitly called for this "natural growth" to be halted.
There was no sign of tension when Mr Bush was greeted by Mr Olmert and Shimon Peres, Israel's president. Instead, all three men stressed the threat from Iran.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran repeated his threat to Israel on Wednesday.
"Nations of the region hate this criminal, fabricated regime and will uproot this fabricated regime if the smallest and shortest opportunity is given to them," he said.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Hey you Jews! Stop making so many babies!
i refer to that non-event as "al-bullshizz"
The little twerp has been literally begging for us (or Israel) to take out his country's nuke facilities for quite some time now.
Will someone please tell Silly Bush that the Palestinians already have a homeland, and it is called “Jordan”, and Jordan is 70% Palestinian now. Jordan even has a Palestinian Queen, Queen Rania. It is not as though Palestinans do not have a homeland. This world does not need two Palestinian states, side by side. There is no need to waste one dime on a New Palestinian state. So save your breath, Silly Bush!
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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I usually don’t like countries around the world snubbing the US, but in this case GO ISRAEL! Screw our dhimmi foreign policy.
It is really none of our business where the Israelis build.
Beitar Illit is built on territory purchased from Arab villages. It is no more a settlement than Manhattan.
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