Sham Israeli/Palestinian peace talks continue. They began
last July. They're supposed to conclude in April.
Palestine's elected government wasn't invited. It's
excluded from talks. Longtime Israeli collaborators represent Palestinians.
They do so illegitimately.
Chance to resolve longstanding conflict is ZERO. Kerry's
so-called framework agreement is totally one-sided.
It solely favors Israel. It gives Palestinians nothing.
It assures continued occupation harshness.
No legitimate Palestinian leader would accept what
demands rejection. Reports from Washington, Tel Aviv and Ramallah say talks so
far went nowhere.
What happens going forward remains to be seen. Israel
deplores peace. It thrives on conflict and instability. Its enemies are ones it
invents.
In 2013, Israeli warplanes bombed Syria at least six
times. On February 24, they struck Hezbollah targets. They did so along
Lebanon's border with Syria.
Lebanon's National News Agency confirmed it. Areas around
Bekaa Valley's Nabi Sheet and Janta were targeted.
Obama partners in Israeli aggression. Each country
defends the other's lawlessness.
On February 26, Hezbollah confirmed Israeli attacks. It
vowed to respond "at the appropriate time" to the "blatant
aggression."
Israel lawlessly attacked "its sovereignty and
territory," it said. "It will not stand without a(n) (appropriate)
response from the Resistance," it added.
"This aggression did not, thank God, cause any
deaths or injuries. There was only some material damage."
It's untrue that targets struck were "artillery
positions or missiles."
Israel said it takes Hezbollah's retaliatory threats
"very seriously." It warned Lebanon's government through UNFIL (the
UN force in Lebanon).
The entire country will be attacked if Hezbollah strikes,
it says. In 2006, Hezbollah embarrassed IDF forces.
Its strength is much more formidable today. Its missiles
can strike targets anywhere in Israel.
In late January, Israeli military intelligence head
General Aviv Kochavi said:
"We call this period in time the era of fire in
light of the amount of missiles and rockets we face as a constant threat."
"There are about 170,000 rockets and missiles that
threaten Israel," he claimed. It's "surrounded 360 degrees with
active enemies. The conventional threats have not disappeared."
It bears repeating. Israel's only threats are ones it
invents. No others exist. Claims otherwise don't wash.
Kochavi lied like other Israeli officials. Doing so is a
convenient pretext for lawless aggression at Israel's discretion. It takes full
advantage.
Lebanon's government complained jointly to UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council.
It claimed Israel violated its sovereign territory and
Security Council Resolution 1701. In August 2006, it unanimously called for
Hezbollah to cease "all attacks" immediately.
It asked Israel to stop "all offensive military
operations." It left undefined what it meant. It gave Israel the right to
respond to whatever it calls an imminent threat.
It left a loophole Israel exploits. It neither confirmed
or denied attacking Lebanon. Ambiguity most often is policy.
On February 28, Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz
said:
"It is self-evident that we see Lebanon as
responsible for any attack on Israel from the territory of Lebanon."
"It is the duty of the Lebanese government to
prevent any terrorist attack - whether a terrorist or missile attack, or any
other kind - on the state of Israel."
Israeli analysts think Hezbollah is mostly focused on
helping Syria to divert attention to Israel.
At this time, a second front is unlikely.
Amnesty International accused Israel if committing war
crimes in the West Bank. It does so repeatedly throughout Occupied Palestine.
AI said Israel displays "a callous disregard for
human life." It targets children like adults. It does so with impunity.
AI wants all arms shipments to Israel suspended. Without
international community pressure, its crimes against defenseless Palestinians
won't end.
Since talks began last July, Netanyahu approved 11,700
new settlement units. He did so on stolen Palestinian land. He violated
international law.
He stole other land for "dubious parks" and
archeological digs. At the same time, he prevents Palestinians from building on
their own land.
He murdered dozens of Palestinian civilians. They
included an 85-year-old man and 15-year-old boy shot in the back.
Since July 2013, he lawlessly demolished about 400
Palestinian homes. Hundreds of Palestinians lost everything. They were forcibly
displaced.
In January 2014, another 100 Palestinian structures were
destroyed.
The UN, AI, Oxfam and other organizations condemn Israeli
policy. On January 31, UN Humanitarian Coordinator James Rawley commented on
recent Israeli demolitions, saying:
"I am deeply concerned about the ongoing
displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in (Israeli controlled) Area C,
particularly in the Jordan Valley where the number of structures demolished
more than doubled in the last year."
"This activity not only deprives Palestinians of
access to shelter and basic services, it also runs counter to international
law."
On February 7, Reuters
headlined "Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes at a five-year high: aid groups."
headlined "Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes at a five-year high: aid groups."
Twenty-five humanitarian organizations in Occupied
Palestine issued a joint statement.
Year-over-year through July 2013, Israeli demolitions
increased by almost half. Palestinians displaced increased by nearly
three-quarters.
Over 660 Palestinian structures were destroyed during the
reported period. It was a five year high. Worse still, 122 were built with
international donor aid funding.
In early February, the ICRC said Israeli obstructionism
prevents its delivering tents to homeless Palestinians.
The joint humanitarian group statement said:
"International and local aid organizations have
faced increasingly severe restrictions in responding to the needs created by
the unlawful demolition of civilian property, in violation of Israel's
obligation to facilitate the effective delivery of aid."
Netanyahu heads Israel's most extremist ever government.
Hardline racists infest it. Coalition extremists call Jews superior to
Gentiles.
Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely calls Palestinians "wolves
in wolves' clothing. They don't want peace and peace can't be made with
them," she claimes.
Other coalition party members voice similar sentiments.
Israeli officials notoriously blame Palestinians for their wrongdoing.
They're determined to prevent Palestinian
self-determination. Netanyahu makes repeated provocative statements.
At the January 2014 Davos World Economic Forum, he said:
"I do not intend to evacuate any settlements or
uproot a single Israeli."
Weeks earlier, he promised coalition partners he
"will not stop, even for a moment, building our country and becoming
stronger..."
He prioritizes settlement development on stolen
Palestinian land. He wants Palestinians denied all rights.
He represents Sharonian evil writ large. He orders
frequent land, sea and air attacks on Gaza. Seize conditions violate
international law.
On March 1, Israeli forces murdered 57-year-old Aminah
Atiyeh in cold blood. She did nothing to provoke their attack.
Ambulances were blocked from reaching her. She died
before anything could be done to help.
In mid-February, Israeli soldiers murdered 26-year-old
Ibrahim Mansour. He was peacefully protesting. He was shot in the head east of
Gaza City.
On February 27, Israeli forces stormed Muataz Washaha's
home. He was a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine activist.
They assaulted his family members. They detained his
brother and two friends.
Late last year, he was released from lawless
imprisonment.
He hid inside his house. He barricaded himself for
protection. He refused to surrender voluntarily. He chose to resist. "I
will not return to prison," he said.
Israeli soldiers located him. They threatened live fire.
He held firm. His mutilated body was found later. It was bullet-ridden.
Israeli forces lied. They claimed he was suspected of
terror activity. They murdered him in cold blood.
He's one of countless Israeli state terror victims.
So-called peace talks continue despite continued Israeli lawlessness.
Why Palestinian officials do so they'll have to explain.
They betray their own people in the process.
They collaborate against them disgracefully. Ethnic
cleansing continues. So do other Israeli high crimes.
Edward Said was right saying "no negotiations are
better than endless concessions that simply prolong" occupation harshness.
Palestinian collaborators are mindless about how much
their people suffer. No end in sight looms.
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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity
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Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished
guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and
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