december 6, 2007

Only one word can adequately describe the nerve of the Israeli government: outrageous.

Fresh from Washington and words of peace and goodwill, practically the first thing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert does is tell his people, in a classic manoeuvre that Israel normally accused Yasser Arafat of, that he in no way feels bound by any date at the end of 2008 to wrap up negotiations with the Palestinian side, exactly contrary to what was agreed at Annapolis.

So one message to the Americans and the world and another to the Israelis.

We want peace, Olmert tells the US. We don’t care for it, he tells his own people.

But words are words, and as we have learned, to our great regret, they mean nothing, especially in this part of the world. Far more indicative and, here’s that word again, outrageously, the Israeli government on Tuesday put out tenders to build 300 new houses in the Jerusalem-area settlement of Har Homa.

Actions do speak louder than words and here’s what this says to the Palestinians and the rest of the world: Israel will negotiate, but not about Jerusalem (nor refugees or borders for that matter). So, if all Palestinians want to do is sit down and talk, that’s great.

And that’s all that is being offered the Palestinian Authority under Mahmoud Abbas, and indeed the Arab world.

It is time to call a spade a spade. Israel is not ready for peace and is not interested in taking any steps - beyond paltry prisoner releases - towards that peace. Israel does not need to do so for as long as Washington holds its hand over it.

And so we are back to the same old problem. It would be very nice to see Washington, in no uncertain terms, slap Israel down on this issue. And do so with much more than a verbal warning.

The settlements are the prime provocation of the occupation of Palestinian land, and to continue, without a hint of shame, to build new ones, is a direct challenge to Washington’s stated desire to sue for peace in the next year.

Coming so soon after Annapolis, one can only surmise that it is also a test of Washington’s resolve set very specifically by the Israeli government. Perhaps the timing has much to do with the US intelligence on Iran that Israel is so unhappy about.

On Iran, Israel wants war. In fact, it simply can’t wait for war.

In Palestine, Israel wants land. Nowhere, peace.

In a word, outrageous.