Report on Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories

Israel’s assault on Gaza, after the breakdown of a six month cease-fire with Hamas, offers the most recent evidence of the breakdown of the diplomatic process ushered in by the Oslo agreements in 1993 and the declining prospect of a peace agreement based upon its principles.  The focus of the Israel Palestine conflict is now centered on the Gaza Strip, and on the contentious relationship between Israel and Hamas.

President Barack Obama and his Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, face huge challenges as they look for a way to bring about peace for Israelis and Palestinians. A stable cease-fire and reopening of Gaza’s borders, after a war that accomplished nothing while inflicting great human costs, should be an immediate priority. 

The idleness that the Israeli government has been displaying in dealing with the unauthorized settlement outposts shows that the ministers are insufficiently aware of the severity of the diplomatic problem that Israel faces with regard to the settlements in Judea and Samaria, and to what degree the issue could entangle Israel in a diplomatic crisis that would damage other Israeli vital interests.

"Well, in fact, one of the things that has happened that seems to have been little noticed is that much of the support to the settlement movement has ceased from the Israeli government."