UK_TGP: Israel accuses US of backing European settlement backlash

[JMS]

And so it starts.. Israel miscalculates their hand, and blames us.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/9722259/Israel-accuses-US-of-backing-European-settlement-backlash.html

Israel accuses US of backing European settlement backlash

Five European countries, including Britain, have registered formal protests with Israeli ambassadors over last week’s decision by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to build 3,000 settlers’ homes and develop an area of the West Bank that could render a Palestinian state unviable.

Along with Australia and Brazil, they were joined by Egypt, threatening to destabilise its fragile regional relations.

The Egyptian foreign minister said it had registered a “strong protest” with Israel’s Cairo ambassador over the proposals.

Despite the mounting international protest however, Mr Netanyahu’s office indicated there would be no backing down over its settlement plans.

An official in Mr Netanyahu’s office told the AFP news agency: “There will be no change in the decision that has been made.”

He spoke after Israel said that, in addition to last week’s announcement, it would also revisit plans to build 1,700 homes in Ramot Shlomo in east Jerusalem, and another 2,600 in Givat Hamatos.

The Ramot Shlomo development was shelved in 2010 after it provoked a row with the US.

Britain, France, Sweden, Spain and Denmark all summoned Israeli envoys on Tuesday to protest over the settlement plans, while Germany and the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, denounced it.

The newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, quoted unnamed Israeli diplomats as saying the outcry could not have occurred without the complicity of the Obama administration, which has profound differences with Mr Netanyahu over settlements.

“We would not be mistaken to say that Europe was acting with Washington’s encouragement,” the paper’s commentator, Shimon Shiffer wrote. “The White House authorised Europe to pounce on the Netanyahu government and to punish it.”

One Israeli official told the Daily Telegraph that while the US was unlikely to have ordered such a move, it may have signalled approval.

“It’s more likely that they [the Americans] have been informed and have not raised any objection, but also showed some understanding and maybe even more,” he said. “There’s probably an understanding between the US and the Europeans that this is the right thing to do at this point.”

---------- Post added December-4th-2012 at 09:26 PM ----------

Here are a few other good articles on the international reaction to Israel's punitive settlement building..

Benjamin Netanyahu's posturing over settlements is an empty threat

Despite the international condemnation and all-round fury, the Israelis are bluffing over the new West Bank settlement, says Matt Hill.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/9721407/Benjamin-Netanyahus-posturing-over-settlements-is-an-empty-threat.html

Britain signals it could impose real diplomatic penalties on Israel

The diplomatic row that accompanies every expansion of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land counts among the most predictable rituals of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/9719563/Britain-signals-it-could-impose-real-diplomatic-penalties-on-Israel.html

[DallasCowboyFan156]

I'm not a fan of the way the Palestinians have handled their plight and I have exactly zero love for Hamas, but the Israelis are starting to get on my last nerve. They have the United States wrapped around their little finger and they know it. It's why they can show such incredible arrogance in the way they handle their policies. They know that they have an automatic veto on the UN Security Council any time anything is brought against them and that they have the biggest, baddest guy on the block to back them up if things go down. I think Obama is practical and doesn't buy into this "chosen people" stuff like past presidents have. I wouldn't be surprised if our relationship is a lot chillier than advertised with them.

[alexey]

I'm not a fan of the way the Palestinians have handled their plight and I have exactly zero love for Hamas, but the Israelis are starting to get on my last nerve. They have the United States wrapped around their little finger and they know it. It's why they can show such incredible arrogance in the way they handle their policies. They know that they have an automatic veto on the UN Security Council any time anything is brought against them and that they have the biggest, baddest guy on the block to back them up if things go down. I think Obama is practical and doesn't buy into this "chosen people" stuff like past presidents have. I wouldn't be surprised if our relationship is a lot chillier than advertised with them.

USA and Israel are democracies with complex internal political dynamics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Israel#2013_elections

On 9 October 2012, Netanyahu announced he would seek an early Israeli election that would later be scheduled on 22 January 2013

To me, recent events seem like a pre-election stunt to get people excited.

[jpyaks3]

Good, I hope we do, we were one of the last ones to completely support apartheid South Africa and we are one of the few hangers on that support Israels illegal colonization of the Palestinian territories, hopefully we will start pushing Israel towards working on a real solution. We are only harming their long term interests by enabling them to continue to isolate themselves from the rest of the world and continue to create an untenable solution with regards to the Palestinians.

[FanboyOf91]

, the Israelis think Europe listens to us about anything Palestine?

[Destino]

The US really needs to communicate to the Middle East that they'll shake, sit, and roll the **** over if they want to keep getting our help.

[Stadium-Armory]

Weren't we just one of 9 countries in the world to vote with Israeli in opposition to Palestinian UN recognition? We just stuck our neck out, and now this? The nerve!

[nuposse87]

what motivation is there to be all buddy-buddy with one country that ostracizes you from the rest of that area...? Like what the hell do we get out of being allies with them...seriously.