Jimmy Carter: Israel's New Plan, a Land Grab

USAToday

By Jimmy Carter

New Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has announced that Israel will take unilateral steps to establish its own geographical boundaries during the next four years of his administration. His plan, as described during the recent Israeli election and the formation of a new governing coalition, would take about half of the Palestinian West Bank and encapsulate the urban areas within a huge concrete wall and the more rural parts of Palestine within a high fence. The barrier is not located on the internationally recognized boundary between Israel and Palestine, but entirely within and deeply penetrating the occupied territories.

The only division of territory between Israel and the Palestinians that is recognized by the United States or the international community awarded 77% of the land to the nation of Israel and the other small portion divided between the West Bank and Gaza. Only about twice the size of Washington, D.C., Gaza is now a politically and economically non-viable region, almost completely isolated from the West Bank, Israel and the outside world.

West Bank Dissected

The Olmert plan would leave the remnant of the Palestinian West Bank with the same unacceptable characteristics. Deep intrusions would effectively divide it into three portions. The prime minister has also announced that Israeli soldiers will likely remain in the Palestinian territory, which will be completely encapsulated by Israel's control of its eastern border in the Jordan River valley.

It is inconceivable that any Palestinian, Arab leader, or any objective member of the international community could accept this illegal action as a permanent solution to the continuing altercation in the Middle East. This confiscation of land is to be carried out without resorting to peace talks with the Palestinians, and in direct contravention of the "road map for peace," which President Bush helped to initiate and has strongly supported.

More at;
Palestine Chronicle

the 1949 armistice line, aka the pre-67 green line
between Israel and the West Bank?

I give up,
who recognizes that border?

other parts of the '49 line, maybe

Besides Israel and the United States (and even the US has most recognized it, until Bush the younger) ?

"the Israel - West Bank section'

for the most part, Muslim countries want Israel
to be wiped out.

don't confuse,
'they want Israel to withdraw'
...with...
'recognize', two different things

to my knowledge, even the UN SCRs just call for withdrawl,
maybe also including the word 'border' when the really should
use 'armistice line'.

Please, get with the program.

Most of the Arab countries supported the approach taken by the PLO, to call for a withdraw to the 1967 borders and recognition of Israel. In fact, Israel has formal relations with Jordan and Egypt. Iran is the only nation that has anyone calling for the destruction of Israel, and this is mostly the heated rhetoric of a desparate leader. Who is not unlike Bush, who calls for destruction of other nations for his political gain... but then Bush actually invades other countries, so there is a difference, he puts his vile words into action.

But my original point is that no European country, not Canada, no one, recognizes the West Bank as being part of Israel. Even the United States did not recognize it as being part of Israel... until bush2, and even bush2 says that parts of the West Bank can go to Israel... says much about Israel's policies when Bush is its most loyal friend.

Jimmy Carter is the best we got.
The benchmark.
'Liberals' who hate Jimmy Carter are like
Christians who hate Christ.

who here ever said they "hate" Jimmy Carter?

FYI--believers refer to Jesus as the "christ"--others use his historcal name.

And as you can see, i like what Jimmy is saying.

Nothing wrong with being critical of anyone, however. It does not necessarily imply hate.

On the otherhand, those who are saying that Jimmy is an anti-semite, those charges are completly unfounded.

But anyone who has called for fairness in the Middle East has been called such names, so he is just part of the club.