Molly Burns
On Tuesday March 9th, 2010 after a visit by Vice President Joe Biden to Israel during which he pledged full American support of Israel’s security, Israel’s Interior Ministry announced the construction of 1,600 new housing units in the form of homes and apartments for Jews in East Jerusalem. This announcement has not only led to conflict between the US and Israel, but it has also worsened the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because the proposed housing would exist in an area where possession of the land is widely contested. On Friday, March 12th the Middle East Quartet to Mediate Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks, issued a statement that denounced Israel’s plan. As of Monday March 15th President Obama has insisted that the Israeli government rescind the planning of the building units in an area that is already controversial. Obama has also asked that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commit to negotiations with Palestine, even after over a year of peace talks that have been produced almost no results. The likelihood of either of President Obama’s requests being heeded is somewhat up in the air considering that the Prime Minister has said the housing construction is non-negotiable.
- Benjamin Netanyahu: former Israeli Prime Minister who leads the right-wing Likud party. Sworn in as prime minister on April 1, 2009 until present.
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The debate between Israelis and Palestinians over disputed territory. Both sides claim to have sovereign rights to East Jerusalem. While these two nations have been at odds since the late 19th century, there has been constant violence over land rights since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.
- The Middle East Quartet to Mediate Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks- A group established in 2002 that is comprised of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations and is involved in mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- Argument for: Denouncing Israel’s plans sends the message that the US is in support of peace talks and negotiations between Israel and Palestine, and is not simply Israel’s ally.
- Argument against: Putting too much stress on our relationship with Israel could leave them alone in the global community.
Additional Reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/world/middleeast/16mideast.html?ref=middleeast
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/world/middleeast/13diplo.html?fta=y
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