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Unsettling news for Mideast peace talks

13 Sep 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

We hear in the reading from the Letter of James this Sunday that faith without works is dead. Those who had faith in fledging Israeli-Palestinian negotiations said Israel's decision this week to approve construction of hundreds of new housing units in the occupied West Bank could strike a death blow to the peace process. Israel officially approved construction of more than 450 new homes in the occupied West Bank, the first new government-approved construction project in the West Bank since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to power in March. The issue is expected to be discussed when Netanyahu's aides meet U.S. special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell later this week. But today's announcement can only complicate a possible resumption of meaningful peace talks with the Palestinians. A senior Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said Israel's decision further undermined its credibility as a partner for peace. "Israel's decision to approve the construction nullifies any effect that a settlement freeze, when and if announced, will have," Erekat said. Close to 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem. Some 2,500 housing units are currently under construction. The settlements are illegal under international law, though Israel disputes that characterization. Source: Articles by BBC News

israel peace talks saeb erekat george mitchell settlements peace negotiations west bank benjamin netanyahu palestinians east jerusalem
Unsettling developments in U.S.-Israeli relations

21 Mar 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Mount of Olives, where in this Sunday's gospel Jesus challenges the one "who is without sin" to cast the first stone, is located on a ridge overlooking Jerusalem. This week the city of Jerusalem--sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike--is front and center to a deepening diplomatic crisis in U.S.-Israeli relations.The conflict erupted last week after Israel announced during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that it would build 1,600 apartments for Jews in disputed east Jerusalem, the sector of the city Palestinians claim for a future capital.The Obama administration, fuming over what it called "insulting" Israeli conduct, has demanded that Israel call off the project. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, however, said such demands are "unreasonable" and predicted the row with the U.S. would blow over, saying neither side had an interest in escalation.But Washington notified Israel early Tuesday that U.S. envoy George Mitchell had put off a trip to the region indefinitely. Mitchell had planned on coming to wrap up preparations for relaunching Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Now it is not clear when the indirect talks will begin.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologized for the timing of the project's approval, but he has not said it would be canceled. On Wednesday he praised President Obama and spoke by telephone with Biden. But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cast more doubts on prospects for indirect peace talks with Israel soon, reaffirming a demand it first halt all settlement construction.In the heaviest clashes in the city in months, scores of Palestinians this week hurled rocks at police and set tires and garbage bins ablaze across the holy city's volatile eastern sector where the construction is planned. Source: Articles by Jeffrey Heller for Reuters, Andrew Lee Butters for TIME, and Amy Teibel for the Associated Press

israel diplomatic relations east jerusalem peace talks george mitchell settlements joe biden benjamin netanyahu mahmoud abbas united states jerusalem palestinians avigdor lieberman
Israel’s unsettling construction plans

09 Dec 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“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

advent israel united nations mahmoud abbas west bank east jerusalem palestine