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Price Tags
And now, some really disturbing news out of the West Bank:
JERUSALEM — A West Bank mosque was burned and vandalized early on Tuesday, with graffiti warning in Hebrew of a “war” over the impending evacuation of the small, disputed Jewish settlement of Ulpana.
Police officials said it was the fourth attack on a mosque in the last 18 months and part of a recent uptick in so-called price tag episodes by radical settlers.
The Ulpana evacuation has been seen as a key test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, and he immediately condemned the attack as “the work of intolerant, irresponsible lawbreakers,” adding, “We will act quickly in order to bring them to justice.”
Micky Rosenfeld, a spokesman for the Israeli police, said that several suspects entered Jabaa, a Palestinian village of 4,200 about five miles from both Jerusalem and Ramallah, early on Tuesday, then broke a large window in the mosque and set a fire that burned several yards of a carpet and wall. Outside the building, the slogan “Ulpana war” was written on the right side of the window, and “price tag” on the left, suggesting the attack was in exchange for the coming evacuation.
Here's why this case matters more than all the other ugly incidents of settler violence and vandalism: if ever there was an open-and-shut case for dismantling a settlement, it would be for the five buildings in Ulpana. This is a no-brainer. The issue at hand is a straight up-and-down question regarding property rights and the rule of law, and both the Netanyahu government and the Supreme Court agree the homes must be dismantled or moved. Aside from a few minority voices in Netayahu's massive coalition, everyone is in agreement. And yet. And yet I was in Israel a few weeks ago and watched the Netanyahu government agonize over this decision, which, again, is as clear-cut a decision on a settlement as it will ever face. Why? In part because even a decision to dismantle or move an obviously illegal settlement -- on the orders of the Supreme Court -- can spark protests and violent retribution raids on Palestinians. And if this is the reaction this time around, imagine what the reaction will be when the Israeli government dismantles all of those hilltop settlements in the West Bank. That's why this violence depresses me.
Exum the violence depresses
Exum the violence depresses you? You must be in an ivory tower.
Take a look at the gang tagging in any US city. Think the rail companies don't bother painting their rolling stock anymore.
Another day in the hood, with all the stuff going on in the ME how does vandalism get the status of violence.
Local Democrats brought in their own Police Chief in the neighboring community. It was because too many people were being arrested in the wrong end of town and too many city law suit payouts. First month on the job while healing the community three separate individuals stupidly AD (accidental discharge) themselves to heaven. People being stupid in their own home by themselves, alone !
Out his his own lips the Chief says, " I haven't seen so much senseless gun CRIME ever in my career that could be avoided". How do you get from people being stupid to CRIME. Then their was the big Easter egg hunt for guns to be turned in. They found eight and hailed that as a saved community.
Since the new chief has been on duty, it has been one robbery after another and nothing is said about it.
Exum you have a pretty life.
Abu M Will Israel exist in 20
Abu M
Will Israel exist in 20 years?
ADTS
ADTS.... Will the US still be
ADTS....
Will the US still be shelling out $3B /yr in foreign aid to Israel in 20 years ?
I think the answer is "yes" to both. No day light between remember? The US would not have to exist for Israel not to exist.
Exum I do not understand the doom and gloom about the ME. US is about freedom and value. The people in the ME have the freedom to stop if they want. They also have the freedom to grind themselves into meatloaf.
It is their choice, their country.
Visitor June 19, 2012, 4:27
Visitor June 19, 2012, 4:27 PM
I do not know.
Would the US give money to Israel if Israel bombed Iran?
Does it matter if Obama is reelected or Romney is elected, say?
Abu M, please step in and offer an opinion!
ADTS
ADTS on June 19, 2012 -
ADTS on June 19, 2012 - 7:56pm
Yah Exum support one of your long time bloggers and give ADTS input !
ADTS the explanation has linkage to Exums recent CNAS paper a few posts back about adapting to the new ME and the interests that the US has there. Those interests are the reason that Egypt is still getting aid even after tossing Lahood's son in jail. Talk is one thing and doing is another. The money to both Egypt and Israel usually comes back to the US defense contractor and that makes for district jobs. One hand washes the other.
As far as bombing Israel the US gave Israel the bombs they need ! Few months ago the administration cleared the deep penetrating bomb be released to Israel ( in the comments many posts back) to delay. The discussion was about Israel's inventory not having capabilities if Iran continued hardening their defenses. Still the whole idea of the logistics of the bombing mission to deny nuclear refinement to Iran is one undertaking due to the number of bombs needed to decimate the ability and distances involved. Israel has pulled rabbits out its hat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Entebbe . If Israel does bomb Obama knows how to say, "Wasn't me they did it". It is priceless to have plausible deniability and the aid will flow.
Romney might be a donkey in a pig skin. Bucking up to the Israel will put him tight with Republicans.
Then there is the Jewish Lobby in the US which has both US and Israel business interests. Not to mention the trade involved for the rest of industry. Oil will be an issue for the next 60 years (that is when the tank is on "E").
Question that I have is if the people in the area will be any more willing to agree in twenty years. This argument of religion has been going on for a long long time in the ME. It is pretty arrogant to wade into that cat fight thinking that they will listen to an outside solution. Money has made them look the other way while only buying more weapons for the day they disagree again.
Abu M/ Visitor June 19, 2012,
Abu M/ Visitor June 19, 2012, 11:42 PM
If it matters whether it is Obama or Romney who is president, does it also matter whether it is Obama's first or second term?
ADTS
ADTS Think Exum owes you a
ADTS
Think Exum owes you a response.
You are talking POTUS which means US of A. It is about America not a person. There is a level of concern that I hold that America will continue to do the best for both itself and be a good partner in the world. Some times it is not always clear which is more important Domestic or Foreign policy. If America does not have financial health in its domestic business then the rest follows. Democracies have a poor track record past 200 years and human desire is one of the failings that the founders debated.
I am only one person with an opinion include Exum and yourself that makes three. Takes a whole lot more than that to make America. After all those people gather it will still take the ME to decide for itself what it wants. You can take a horse to water but cannot make it drink.
Since we live in a
Since we live in a politically correct world. The metaphor relating to a horse is not to imply that I think people in the ME are animals. They have a rich culture and are very intelligent people. I cleaned out horse barns as kid and listened to local philosophy growing up.
Think that Exum has experienced that level of intelligence. I have done business with Israeli companies and had some good discussions with Uzi Gal. Uzi's wife was a marvelous person. Both have passed away.
Here is the reason for Exum's gloom. How can so many smart people do what they are doing to themselves.
That is the essence of the human weakness.
Mr. Exum just put out a paper
Mr. Exum just put out a paper saying elective politics in Arab states present positive opportunities for the U.S, which of course is code for working with Islamist parties. Egypt just elected president a dude who looks on without objection while his supporters argue for 'one Arab state...with its capital in Jerusalem.' So on the one hand Mr. Exum appears to want to blame Israel for no two state solution, while on the other arguing for the opportunities in working with governments who want to change their policy from a two state to a one state policy.
Here's the citation for the
Here's the citation for the 'capital in Jerusalem' anecdote: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/officials-hamas-ordered-gr...
The horror, the horror! A
The horror, the horror! A piece of advice: If you are REALLY concerned about the conflict, every once in a while, take a look at the blog "TODAY IN PALESTINE" and you might grasp the scope of the constant and mind-numbing attacks and humiliations in the West Bank. [In Gaza as well, of course.] The Israelis have continued to take private land, and even when they don't do that [yet] they raze houses in Area C because the owners didn't get a building permit rarely if ever given. ...remember East Jerusalem Arab housing? The latest is going big, a whole village is to be bulldozed. Even Bedouin tents are not immune. Fields and groves burned or bulldozed, attacks on landowners trying to reach their crops. I hope you were not taken in by the Ulpana drama, which is just a side-show to distract from the bigger picture of regular abuse. I think Palestinians are quite used to what some settlers write on their mosques.
I have performed small
I have performed small business along with Israeli companies and had the right discussions along with Uzi Girl. Uzi's partner ended up being a new marvelous man or woman. The two include died.
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