Last Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the construction of 238 new housing units in East Jerusalem and effectively ended any chance of a peace deal initiated by the US. Many in the international world see the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state as a way to undermine worldwide terrorism. Key planner of the 9/11 attack, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was motivated by the US's foreign policy of favoring Israel (9/11 Commission Report p.147). I believe this is President Obama's primary reason for working to broker a final deal that will bring a sustained peace to the region. However, Palestinians will not participate in peace talks and final negotiations until all construction in their territory ceases. This is the first announcement of such plans since March, when Israel approved the construction of 1,600 new housing units in east Jerusalem during a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden. Israel occupied and then annexed east Jerusalem in the Six Day War of 1967. A move not recognized by the international community or the Palestinians, who consider it their capitol. In April of this year I traveled to Jerusalem to see the situation for myself. The occupation is quite real. Israeli soldiers with machine guns were present in the Old City. I was often denied access to areas for no reason. On the way there, I went through numerous military checkpoints and was searched by soldiers. The most obvious sign of the occupation was the enormous cement wall that Israel is using to block the Palestinians from accessing parts of their land. The settlements effectively end the chance of a viable peace. I expect that the Palestinians and their supporters will struggle violently against the colonization of their land. As an American I desire to know, when will my governments' support for Israel not be a liability? When will we stop acting like Israel is the avant garde in a war on Islam?
