Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Math Junkie who wrote (17433)	1/28/2002 1:56:28 PM
From: Paul Kern	Respond to of 281500

>>>"IOW, the one thing that angers the Palestinians the most is Jewish settlements in the West Bank - and this has been the case for a couple of decades. So why do they continue?" Good question. I'm really looking forward to seeing some answers to that. <<<< The settlements are Israel's big bargaining chip and the one they are holding for last. When they pulled out of Sinai, dragging the settlers from their homes, it was the last thing they did to implement in the 1979 Camp David Agreement. Removing them earlier would have been removing their last leverage. Paul

To: Math Junkie who wrote (17433)	1/30/2002 2:04:15 AM
From: Nadine Carroll	Respond to of 281500

re: settlements The settlements fall into three reasons for existence: 1. Security. This is the reason for the settlements in the Jordan Valley, which serve as outposts in case of Jordanian attack. 2. Moving the border, as the annexation of more land around Jerusalem or the settlement blocks beside the Green Line. 3. 'Facts on the Ground' to make it difficult to give up the land/use as leverage. This includes the settlements throughout Judea and Samaria, particularly in sites of great religious and historical importance, like Hebron. Offhand media question: why have I heard many times in the media that Jerusalem is the third-holiest city in Islam but I have never heard once that Hebron is the second-holiest city in Judaism? Yes, the settlements make the Arabs mad. But I have a news flash -- they'd be mad anyway. They're mad about the existence of Israel. They just like to say that all they want is to 'end the occupation' because they a better chance of achieving it and it sounds more reasonable. After all, it's hardly as if relations were better before 1967.