US Says Israel Housing Move Unhelpful
Earlier, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack chided Israel more directly for the announcement Sunday that hundreds of new Jewish houses would be built in disputed areas of the West Bank and east Jerusalem.”The announcement that we saw from the Israeli government, is it helpful to the process? No, it’s not helpful to the process,” McCormack said.
So building homes for Jews is unhelpful.
How about throwing them out of their homes?
Here’s an interview with President Bush from August 2005.
Q I understand why you like this place better than the White House.
We are on the eve of the disengagement and you have expressed your full support in disengagement, trying to help Prime Minister Sharon in his struggle. And I would like to ask why is it so important to you, Mr. President?THE PRESIDENT: First of all, let me speak about my relationship with Prime Minister Sharon, if you don’t mind. We’ve grown close, and one of the reasons why is I appreciate a person who when he says something, means it. And I hope he appreciates that about me. In other words, I said early on we’re going to join in fighting terror so that Israel could be secure and America secure and other free nations secure.Secondly — and I have, and he knows I keep my word and I know he keeps his word. Secondly, what I appreciate is somebody who thinks boldly for peace. And Ariel Sharon came to the White House and said we’re going to disengage from the Gaza. And I was struck by what a bold decision that was. And the disengagement is, I think, a part of making Israel more secure and peaceful and I agree with the Prime Minister.
It’s important because the United States is a strong ally of Israel and, therefore, if you’re a strong ally, you want there to be peace for your ally.
(emphases mine)”More secure and peaceful” is not how I’d describe the results of “disengagement” now. I wonder if President Bush has reconsidered the next part of the interview:
Q You know, the main concern of Israel is that the disengagement might lead not to more security, but, on the contrary, to more violence. Do you understand the concerns?THE PRESIDENT: Oh, absolutely, I understand. And I can understand why people think this decision is one that will create a vacuum into which terrorism will flow. I happen to disagree. I think this will create an opportunity for democracy to emerge. And democracies are peaceful. And, therefore, it’s very important for the United States, as an active participant in this process, to encourage the formation of security forces that will defeat terror, just like the road map calls for — these are Palestinian security forces — and to encourage the Palestinians to develop a peaceful state.
In recent weeks we’ve seen Egypt (at least passively) assist Hamas in tearing down its border fence allowing an influx of longer range missiles and trained terrorists into Gaza. The administration did not call that “unhelpful.”
We’ve seen the moderate Holocaust denier Mahmoud Abbas declare that he was proud of his terrorist pedigree and expressed his view that when the time is right he would return to the old ways. The administration did not call that “unhelpful.”
So what’s unhelpful? Building homes for Jews. What helps make Israel peaceful and secure? Forcing Jews from their homes.
There’s something perverse going on around here.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
