Israelis Say Bush Officials Agreed to Settlement Building

[babylonsister]

That 'might' have been then, this is now. The whining, make it stop-p-p! :argh:


Israelis Say Bush Officials Agreed to Settlement Building

By ETHAN BRONNER
Published: June 3, 2009


JERUSALEM — Senior Israeli officials expressed irritation on Wednesday that President Obama had declined to acknowledge what they called clear understandings with the Bush administration that allowed Israel to build West Bank settlement housing within certain guidelines while still publicly claiming to honor a settlement “freeze.”

The complaint was the latest in a growing rift between the Obama administration and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how to move forward to achieve Middle East peace. Mr. Obama was in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and due to address the Muslim world from Cairo on Thursday.

The Israeli officials said that repeated and ongoing discussions with Bush officials starting in late 2002 gave unambiguous permission to build within the boundaries of certain settlement blocs as long as no new land was expropriated, no special economic incentives were offered to move to settlements and no new settlements were built. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity about an issue of such controversy between the two governments.

When Israel signed onto the so-called roadmap for a two-state solution in 2003, which says its government “freezes all settlement activity (including natural growth of settlements),” the officials said, it was after a detailed discussion with Bush officials that laid out those explicit limits.

“Not everything is written down,” said one of the officials.


more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/world/middleeast/04israel.html

[Howardx]

1. “Not everything is written down,”

take our word for it.

[bdamomma]

2. isn't this kind of whiny action of Israel the Bushies told us we can do this.

am I interpreting this correctly? The US and Israel have been kissing up to each other for such a long time.

[babylonsister]

3. I don't know what makes them think the same rules apply under

a new admin, especially 'rules' that weren't written down. They're whining, pure and simple.

[rateyes]

4. All the settlements should be torn down, along with the land grabbing

wall. And, if a new wall is to be built, it should be built on the Green Line.

And, Israeli leaders/Netanyahu, if you don't have it in writing...TOUGH SHIT.

[babylonsister]

5. I don't think it should matter what they might have in writing

from the previous enabling admin. Different bosses, different rules. That applies in their case as well when it benefits them, I'm sure.

[rateyes]

8. Yep. nt

[Uzybone]

6. They also got a wink and nod from Bush regarding the Gaza offensive

late last year. I'm not surprised.

Yo, Mr. Senior Israeli official....Bush is not the president anymore.

[Jennicut]

7. OMG, its like a new administration now, hello?

Utter stupidity. Stop the building already.

[UndertheOcean]

9. Hint :Bush no longer in Office