Ban Ki-moon condemns Israeli plans for new settlements - Polidicks

[release] [img]http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2011/10/15/2011101554912601734_20.jpg[/img] [B]Reports come as the Palestinians attempt to secure UN recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state[/B] Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, has condemned reports of Israeli plans to build more than 2,600 housing units in illegally occupied East Jerusalem, saying further settlement activity was "unacceptable". "The secretary-general is deeply concerned at continued efforts to advance planning for new Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem," Ban's press office said in a statement on Friday. The Peace Now anti-settlement group said on Friday that Israel planned to build the housing units in a new urban settlement in East Jerusalem, angering Palestinians who want a halt to all such projects before they return to Middle East talks. The group said the settlement plan was approved earlier this week by an Israeli municipal committee, which had given the go-ahead for construction on the site that lies on land seized by Israel in 1967 and occupied ever since. "The secretary-general reiterates that settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the remainder of the West Bank is contrary to international law," the UN statement said, adding that such activity "must cease". The statement added:"Recent developments in this regard have been unacceptable, particularly as efforts are ongoing to resume negotiations, and run contrary to the Quartet's call on the parties to refrain from provocations." The so-called 'Quartet, consisting of the US, the UN, the European Union and Russia, is currently pressing for Israel and the Palestinians to resume direct talks. Reports about a new settlement plan come as the Palestinians attempt to secure UN recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital, along with full membership in the United Nations. The Palestinian UN bid has infuriated Israel, while the United States has said it would veto any Palestinian UN application, which is currently being assessed by a UN security council committee. [/release] [URL="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/2011101552157726781.html"]Source[/URL]

Someone has to make a stand against Israel. They have gone way too far over the years.

They're not even interested in a peace agreement.

[QUOTE=DamagePoint;32794000]It's like they're not even interested in a peace deal.[/QUOTE] Because they aren't.

Why does the US, a single nation, have veto power over any Palestinian UN application? Surely it should take at least a small group of nations to veto something. Size or funding is irrelevant on this - it's the principle. If one nation can veto alone with no support, then how is it a [i]united[/i] nations decision? I'm not blindly hating on the US here, I just want to know why they can do it. (I know why they would do it, though) Also, I hope that at least [i]something[/i] is done about this.

[QUOTE=Terminutter;32794011]Why does the US, a single nation, have veto power over any Palestinian UN application? Surely it should take at least a small group of nations to veto something. Size or funding is irrelevant on this - it's the principle. If one nation can veto alone with no support, then how is it a [i]united[/i] nations decision? I'm not blindly hating on the US here, I just want to know why they can do it. (I know why they would do it, though) Also, I hope that at least [i]something[/i] is done about this.[/QUOTE] Because US is the king of the world and the definition of good guys is doing what they like.

The US saying that Palestine and Israel should peace talks between themselves, and not have the global community decide it, is complete and utter bullshit. I mean, why would Israel want to progress in talks? They have the power and advantages right now. Any agreement would result in Israel losing power, and they sure do not want that. The US administration seems incapable of realizing this fact, and continue to back Israel against ANYTHING, like votes in the UN. As a result, Israel is capable of things like continuing to build settlements among other things, thanks to the US veto. When Israel does stuff like this, the US "condemns it" but does not really act upon it in any signification way.

I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe that the US is doing anything other than siding with Israel and twiddling their thumbs. If the US goes ahead with vetoing while Israel continues to push forward with their own agenda, and continues to ignore negotiations, then the US loses whatever credibility it had in the conflict. Peaceful negotiations are not the answer at this point. I'm not saying go to war or something, but for fuck's sake you might as well just ignore the Palestinians for all the good you're doing. Also the fact that a single UN nation can place a single veto and stop pretty much anything is complete bullshit. I honestly wish somebody would call the UN out on it, because it defeats the point of having a congregate of nations if any one of them can take their ball home at any time. :uninformedpoliticalrant: