T. Belman. So much for “all issues are to be negotiated”. Israel must not cave. It should do the opposite. The US is obviously dictaing that Jerusalem must be divided.
Ahead of Biden’s visit to Israel, Obama administration is pulling out all the stops to prevent new Jerusalem housing projects.
By David Rosenberg, ARUTZ SHEVA
US Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Israel next Sunday, and the Obama administration is launching an all-out effort to prevent a repeat of the diplomatic flare-up that marred his previous trip in 2010.
In what is likely to be the last state visit to Israel by a top-level Obama administration official, Biden’s visit closes out a rocky relationship between Israel and the White House.
Perhaps the most publicized dispute in that period was the so-called “Ramot Biden” incident in March 2010, when plans for a new housing project in the haredi neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo in Jerusalem were announced while Biden was in Israel promoting talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Biden issued a sharp condemnation of the plans, while then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton berated Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during a 43-minute phone call.
Today, with the memory of the 2010 dustup looming, US officials are pressing Israel not to build in “sensitive” areas of Jerusalem like Gilo, Har Homa, and Pisgat Ze’ev, NRG reported, citing a high-ranking US official on condition of anonymity.
“We don’t want another neighborhood in Jerusalem to be called ‘Ramot Biden,’” the official said.
But while the US is moving to block new housing projects in Jerusalem for Jews, the same official noted that of course “construction for Arabs would receive their blessing.”
So desperate are Obama administration officials to prevent a repeat of the 2010 visit that they have set aside accepted protocol and expanded their efforts beyond the traditional diplomatic channels, appealing directly to local officials and public figures in Israel, including in the Jerusalem city council, calling on them to shelve new building projects in Jerusalem.
Everyone but Jews have free reign to operate however they like in BB’s Israel. Foreign govs daily violate Israels soveriegnty with his approval.
I think BB has already agreed to this approach becuase everything he does, outside of rhetoric, is in keeping with this agenda. The reason why BB can never say these words is because it conflicts with what he is trying to accomplish… he has NEVER said in 7 years:
How can he possibly say the words which might destroy his abandonment of YS outside the EU and US designated ghetto boundaries? It would have been nice if he had let Jews know what he intended to do when he stole Benetts votes. A vote for BB is a vote for the ghetto boundaries.
@ david melech:
Exactly. There is no shortage of Jews who will gladly accept as reparations the houses of Arab squatters in Jerusalem once they are given their tickets to Gaza.
The issue is not the boundaries of Jerusalem. The Palestinians are enemies who we can not co-exit with. Separation discussed by Herzog and Lapid will not work because it will be a repeat of Gaza. Though to be fair they are talking about keeping the IDF in areas we would separate. Why abandon anything for nothing and loose rights is my opinion. We are the rightful owners of the land. We should not negate our rights for nothing.
this is an easy won. couple years ago poolside talking to a JEWISH ISRAELI PHD 37 years old complaining she could never afford to buy in ISRAEL. her ethnic background is family came from yemen making her 2nd/3rd generation JEWISH ISRAELI arab. plenty of JEWS from arab countries expelled around 1948 time.
Just a reminder, Jerusalem is not divisible and not to be partitioned.
There is a part of Jerusalem that is close to the Ramala airport. A study should be made about that part of the city. Perhaps the boundaries of the city should be reviewed. The Jerusalem of 1973 was much smaller than it is today.
The Lame Duck’s Illusion of Grandeur Syndrome. The minute his term is over demolish the illegal structures, including tunnels, DUH; like within the first 72 hours and begin massive construction of new quality homes for Jews, everyplace. Provide permanent housing for those displaced from Gaza until such times as their homes and businesses in Gaza can be re-built.
Anyone who has advocated a Gaza Seaport must be terminated with extreme prejudice.