US Caves on Settlements

The Oslo accords based the framework of middle east peace around a two state solution in which Palestinians would have a homeland in territories occupied by Israel in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.  In violation of that treaty, Israel has continued to build settlements in what is supposed to become Palestinian territory and refuses to freeze construction.  This has peace talks at a standstill.  Israel claims that Palestinians are setting conditions to negotiate.  That is not true.  Palestinians are insisting that accords from earlier negotiations be honored.  The US was pressuring Israel to halt construction… until now.

The U.S. has given up on trying to persuade Israel to declare a moratorium on new building in the West Bank in an effort to win Palestinian participation in face-to-face peace talks, the Obama administration said Tuesday.

"After consultation with the parties, we have determined that a moratorium extension will not at this time provide the best basis for resuming direct negotiations," according to a statement provided by the White House. A spokesman specified that the statement should be attributed to "U.S. officials."

The Palestinian Authority has insisted that it will not engage in direct talks with Israel unless Israel freezes all construction for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, something the Israelis have refused to do, even after the Obama administration offered to provide Israel with 20 F-35 fighter jets worth $3 billion in return for a 90-day freeze.

The official U.S. statement, however, rejected the idea that the peace talks are dead… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <McClatchy DC>

Here we have the biggest reason that Muslim terrorists are pointed at the US.  The US should be brokering an honest peace, not enabling a criminal government.