“Up, Jerusalem! Stand upon the heights . . . see your children gathered from the east and the west,” exhorts the prophet Baruch in this Sunday’s first reading. The relationship between Palestinians and Israelis is not so harmonious over Israel’s announcement last week that it intends to build thousands of housing units and expand controversial settlements into areas that would cut through a hoped-for Palestine state. Israel’s settlement push comes in response to—some say in retaliation for—a United Nations vote last week giving de facto state recognition to Palestine.

The settlement plan has touched off an escalating international showdown. Palestinians claim the construction would deal a death blow to Mideast peace hopes. Even Israel's staunchest allies were caught off guard by the move and are now trying to get Israel to back down on these building efforts.

Although the Israelis say construction could be years away, the proposal includes 3,000 new settler homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and intentions to press ahead with two other projects that would drive a wedge between East Jerusalem, the Palestinians' desired capital, and the West Bank.

The Palestinians said they would leverage their newfound U.N. status to seek a Security Council resolution to halt the Jerusalem-area plans. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he was determined to block the settlement building near Jerusalem with all legal and diplomatic means. "The settlement plans that Israel announced . . . are a red line," Abbas said. "This must not happen."

Over the past generation Israel has moved more than 500,000 Jews into settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, complicating any future partition of the land into two states. The Palestinians oppose all settlement construction, saying it prejudices the outcome of peace talks, which stalled four years ago over settlements.

Israel annexed East Jerusalem after capturing it 45 years ago and claims the area as part of its capital. While the annexation is not internationally recognized, many Israeli leaders say they will never agree to divide the holy city.

Homily hint: Reconciliation between longtime adversaries may seem elusive, but Advent is a season of patience and of hope. Encourage all in attendance to cultivate such qualities in their homes, families, and cities. Thus is the world changed for the better.

Source: An article by Matthew Lee and Edith M. Lederer for the Associated Press