Israel's Last Remaining Friend--Canada

World Reaction to Israel’s Defensive Measures Varies

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Canada is the only government to place responsibility on the Fatah-Hamas unity government for stopping terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens.

Philip Gordon, White House coordinator, claims “both sides” responsible for breakdown in peace talks.

Governments around the world have been quick to condemn the surge in Hamas terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens but most have not offered unequivocal support for Israel’s Operation Protective Edge.

Over the past four weeks, thousands of Israelis have been running to bomb shelters as terrorists fired more than 250 high-powered rockets from Gaza into their towns, and millions of Israelis continue to face danger from the ever-broadening reach of terrorist missiles.

Yet Philip Gordon, the White House coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf Region, told a conference in Tel Aviv on July 8 that, although the US has “no interest in a blame game,” both sides were responsible for the breakdown of peace negotiations.

Earlier that same day, conference attendees had to take shelter in a special room while air raid sirens warned of a rocket attack against Tel Aviv, yet Gordon – after mentioning America’s unwavering commitment to Israel – said both sides had lost trust in the peace process.

US: ‘Trust Eroded on All Sides’

“The unfortunate reality is that neither side prepared their publics or proved ready to make the difficult decisions required for an agreement,” he said in his prepared remarks. “Trust has been eroded on all sides. Until it is restored, neither side will likely be ready to take risks for peace, even as they live with the dire consequences that result from its absence.”

Thus far, the Government of Canada has been the sole voice demanding that the new Fatah-Hamas unity government stop the terror.

“Canada believes that Israel has every right to defend itself, by itself, from such belligerent acts of terrorism,” John Baird, Canada’s foreign affairs minister, said in a July 8 statement. “The new Palestinian government must exercise its authority in Gaza and bring an immediate end to Hamas’s rocket attacks on Israel, and Hamas must respect the ceasefire agreed upon in 2012.”

Palestinian Authority: It’s “Genocide”

For his part, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the Fatah-Hamas unity government, accused Israel of genocide without appearing to accept any responsibility.

“The killing of entire families is genocide by Israel against our Palestinian people,” Abbas reportedly told a meeting in Ramallah.

PA Chair Mahmoud Abbas speaking recently in Ramallah. (Photo: Issam Rimawi/Flash90)

William Hague, foreign secretary for the United Kingdom, said, “The UK calls on Hamas and other militant groups to stop these attacks. The people of Israel have the right to live without constant fear for their security; the people of Gaza also have the right to live in peace.”

Spokespersons for the European Union and the United Nations have condemned the indiscriminate terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians while expressing concern for Palestinian deaths and urging a return to calm.

Representatives for the governments of Egypt, Turkey and Iran have issued condemnations of Israel’s military actions without mentioning the ongoing Palestinian terrorism against Israeli citizens, according to media reports. The Russian Foreign Ministry has reportedly condemned both “terrorist attacks on Israeli cities and excessive use of force in relation to Gaza’s civilians.”

Author: Sherry Miller
Staff Writer, United with Israe
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Israel Correct In Continuing To Build New Homes. West Bank Won In 1967 War. Arabs Lost, Get Over It!

Israel to Build More Homes in Judea & Samaria in Response to New Palestinian Government

Posted by: Ahuva Balofsky June 5, 2014 , 12:16 pm

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“So the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which He swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.” (Joshua 21:42)

Housing Construction in Jerusalem (Photo: Flash90)

In response to the formation of a Palestinian unity government earlier this week, Israel’s Housing and Construction Ministry announced Wednesday night that it would be accepting bids for construction of new homes in several locations throughout Judea and Samaria.

The tenders were released for 223 new apartments in Efrat; 484 housing units in Beitar Ilit; 38 units in Geva Binyamin (Adam); 76 in Ariel; 78 in Alfei Menashe; 155 in Givat Ze’ev, including 55 in Agan Ha’ayalot; and 400 new units in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

Palestinian unity government members including pose for a photo during during the swearing in ceremony of the government at the Palestinian Authority’s headquarters in Ramallah, on June 02, 2014. (Photo: Issam RImawi/FLASH90)

“I congratulate the decision to give a proper Zionist response to the establishment of the Palestinian terror cabinet,” Housing Minister Uri Ariel said in a statement. “The right and duty of the State of Israel to build across the country to lower the housing prices is unquestionable, and I believe these tenders are just the beginning.”

Until now, construction in the region had been under what officials termed a “silent freeze.”  Although projects already underway had continued, no new construction had been announced until Wednesday.

On Monday, Israel decided not to enter into any talks with the new Palestinian cabinet, considered a technocratic interim arrangement designed to steer Palestinians towards new elections.  It represents the end of seven years of hostilities between Fatah and Hamas.  The latter is deemed a terrorist organization by most countries, including Israel and the US, and thus Israel rejects the new unity government.

The US, UN, Russia and EU, however, have all agreed to deal with the new cabinet, because it does not contain any outright Hamas members as ministers.  This decision brought condemnation from Israel.

US Secretary of State John Kerry responded to such criticism Wednesday saying Abbas “made clear that this new technocratic government is committed to the principles of nonviolence, negotiations, recognizing the state of Israel, acceptance of the previous agreements and the Quartet principles.”

“Based on what we know now about the composition of this technocratic government, which has no minister affiliated to Hamas and is committed to the principles that I describe, we will work with it as we need to, as appropriate.”

US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro condemned the housing announcement.  “We oppose settlement construction in the West Bank as well as announcements regarding such construction,” he told Army Radio. “We would do so with or without this disputed case of a new Palestinian transitional government.”

Prime Minister of the Hamas government, Ismail Haniyeh, urges supporters at a rally in Gaza in March to kill the “Zionist enemy” and promises to destroy the State of Israel. (Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib / Flash90)

Regarding the new Palestinian cabinet, he said, “We have no illusions about Hamas; Hamas is a terrorist organization.  We have no ties with Hamas and we will not work with them, we will not give them assistance, and we will not work with any government of which Hamas is a member.”

The US was not alone in condemning the construction announcement. There are those within Israel’s own government who disapprove.  Justice Minister Tzipi Livni called it a “mistake,” saying it “will only make it more difficult for us to rally world support against Hamas.”  She went on to say settlement building was a “punishment that the people of Israel are getting because of the presence of Habayit Hayehudi [Jewish Home Part] in the government of Israel and not because of the presence of Hamas in the Palestinian government.”

According to Livni, Habayit Hayehudi ministers will take any excuse to build in Judea and Samaria. “The construction is a punishment to the nation of Israel that wants peace, and not the Palestinians.”

Prior to the construction announcement, some MKs also suggested formally annexing portions of Judea and Samaria in response to the formation of the Palestinian cabinet, but Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon objected, saying this step should only be examined in response to Palestinian unilateral steps towards UN recognition.

Minister of Intelligence Dr. Yuval Steinitz responded to the latest criticism against Israel.

“Pursuant to US Secretary of State John Kerry’s statement to the effect that the new Palestinian government is ‘committed to previous agreements’, we must ask: Is it his intention to now demand that Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] and his government publicly reiterate their commitment to ‘the principle of complete demilitarization’ which constitutes a cornerstone of the Oslo accords, and to begin dismantling and destroying the thousands of missiles stationed in the Gaza Strip? If not, the Palestinian remarks about ‘honoring previous agreements’ border on deception and fraud,” he said.

Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/16117/israel-build-homes-judea-samaria-response-new-palestinian-government/#pfc4ESAh73mBqffy.99

America Proves Itself Once Again NOT To Be A Friend Of Israel. The Decision To Continue Talks With Hamas Backed Palestinian Government Is A Stab In The Back!

 Haaretz.com, 

By Barak Ravid

Israel 'deeply disappointed' U.S. will work with new Palestinian government

Israel 'deeply disappointed' U.S. will work with new Palestinian government. New Hamas-Fatah government causes rift between Israel and U.S., with Jerusalem going as far as accusing Washington of trying to derail peace process.

Senior Israeli officials said Monday that Israel is deeply disappointed with the State Department's announcement that the U.S. will continue to work with the new Palestinian unity government.

“We are deeply disappointed by the comments of the State Department regarding working with the Palestinian unity government,” the officials said.

State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said earlier Monday that the U.S. intends to work with the new Fatah-Hamas government but will be watching it closely to ensure that it upholds the principles of the Quartet – recognize Israel, reject terror, and honor previously signed agreements.

The Israeli officials went as far as to blame the U.S. for setting back the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

“This Palestinian government is a government backed by Hamas, which is a terror organization committed to Israel's destruction,” they said. “If the U.S. administration wants to advance peace, it should be calling on Abbas to end his pact with Hamas and return to peace talks with Israel. Instead, it is enabling Abbas to believe that it is acceptable to form a government with a terrorist organization.”

Communications Minister Gilad Erdan, who is a member of the cabinet, blasted “America's naivete,” adding that the U.S. “surrender to Palestinian dictates” severely diminishes the chances of returning to the negotiating table, and will force Israel to take unilateral measures in order to protect its citizens from “Abbas' terror government.”

Earlier Monday, Israel's security cabinet decided that it will not hold negotiations with the new Palestinian unity government and will oppose Hamas participation in the Palestinian elections if and when they take place.

“Israel will work, including in the international arena, to oppose the participation of terrorist organizations in the elections,” the panel said in a statement issued at the end of its two-and-a-half-hour meeting.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Israel would not allow the Palestinian Authority to conduct elections in East Jerusalem for either its parliamentary or its presidential election, if the Fatah-Hamas unity government indeed leads to such elections being held in another few months, as called for in their reconciliation deal.

In a post on his Facebook page, Israel's ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer repeated Israel's disappointment at the American willingness to work with a government including Hamas – “a terrorist organization responsible for the murder of many hundreds of Israelis, which has fired thousands of rockets at Israeli cities, and which remains committed to Israel's destruction.”

Had Hamas changed, it would be one thing, Dermer wrote. “But Hamas hasn't changed. It remains as committed to Israel's destruction today as it was yesterday. This Palestinian unity government is a government of technocrats backed by terrorists, and should be treated as such.

“With suits in the front office and terrorists in the back office, it should not be business as usual.”