Robert Snodgrass wants proof that the world regards the territories as occupied. Robert also asks why Israel should quit the west bank.
I would ask Robert how many countries have located their embassies in Jerusalem and why those that haven't, won't.
And why just about every country,including the US regards the colonising of the territories as illegal The foreign offices of states employ the best lawyers they can buy and they are unanimous that the territories are occupied and the colonies are illegal.Further Israeli politicians from Dayan through Begin and Sharon all the way to Bibi have regarded the occupation as just that.
Why should Israel quit the west bank ? I will leave the " because it is in Israel's best interest" argument to Joe Millis, he is much better equipped to argue it than me. I will, for the moment stick to the " because the world requires it " argument.
In a previous blog Jeremy Havardi bemoans statements made by Liam Fox at a recent conference to the effect that he favours two states along the lines of the pre 1967 borders with Jerusalem being the capital of those two states.
Fox is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier and is a fully paid up member of the loony right. We can be fairly sure that his real personal views are more extreme than this.So why does he say this ? Because of course he is ( god help us )a minister in the British government and this is the British governments position.
And why is this the British governments position ? Because it is the position of the United States.( poodles didn't become extinct with the passing of Tony Blair )
It is also the position of the European Union.
It is also the position of the 120 plus countries that will declare the creation of the state of Palestine along those lines at the UN in September.
This is as close to the " the whole world " as makes little difference.
This what the world wants and what it will have. So why not just get on with it and save a lot of interim blood and pain ? I guess because Israel has more than it's fair share of self delusionists that think Israel is " independent " and can take on the world. This from one of the most dependent states in the world, if not the most dependent.