by Stephen Lendman

Land theft is war by other means. Longstanding Israeli policy. Ultranationalist lunatics run things. Like defrocked/irresponsibly reinstated Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, saying:

"Anyone who dreams that the government of Israel will cave (to pressure) and will limit building in Jerusalem is mistaken."

Or anywhere else in the West Bank. On land Israel wants exclusively for Jews.

"Any pressure to the contrary will be very counterproductive," Liberman added.

“We will never accept any definition of building in Jewish neighborhoods…as settlement activity."

Especially in East Jerusalem. Israel considers the entire city its exclusive capital. "There is broad consensus for that stand among Jews in Israel and abroad," Lieberman claims.

Not according to Justice Minister/so-called peace negotiator Tzipi Livni. Saying:

"The settlements magnify the delegitimization of Israel in the world. I am willing to travel the world and explain that Israel seeks peace, but I can't explain the settlements, because the people who want to build (them) are not interested in peace."

"The construction in the settlements, first and foremost, harms the State of Israel. It hurts the Palestinians, but it also hurts us."

"There is a hard-core ideological group, based out of certain settlements in Judea and Samaria, that doesn't comply with the authority of anyone."

"They want to prevent us from living here in a reasonable manner. They oppose the values of the state, in which we believe."

"They are the ones who will prevent us from reaching a peace agreement."

Israeli fascist ministers and MKs most of all. Especially Netanyahu. Pledging unlimited settlement construction.

Especially in East Jerusalem. Systematically being ethnically cleansed. One bulldozed Palestinian home at a time.

"Even the Palestinians know that these places will stay in Israeli sovereignty under any agreement," he said.

"The French build in Paris. The English build in London. Israelis build in Jerusalem."

On the one hand, Washington "question(s) Israel's ultimate commitment to a peaceful negotiated settlement," according to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

On the other, nothing is done for peace. Or demand settlement construction stop. Hold Israel accountable for high crimes against peace.

Billions of dollars in annual largely military aid continues. Both countries partner in each other's crimes.

Obama did nothing to stop Operation Protective Edge mass slaughter. Calling Israeli naked aggression its right to self-defense.

John Kerry is Israel's man at State. One-sidedly supporting its ruthlessness. As a senator, he called Jerusalem "Israel's indisputable capital."

His pro-Israeli voting record was second to none. He called Arafat "a failed leader." An "unfit partner for peace."

Supported more military aid than Washington provides annually.

Believes America “must stand solidly behind Israel at the UN and other international organizations.”

Opposes humanitarian missions to Gaza. Claiming "Israel has every right in the world to make certain weapons are not being smuggled in.”

Humanitarian missions bring vital aid only. Kerry knows it. So do other US officials. Israeli ones for sure.

In 1999, he signed a letter criticizing Clinton for not moving America’s embassy to Jerusalem. In 1947, the UN declared it an international city. It remains one today.

In 2009, he signed a Senate resolution opposing Palestinian self-determination. Falsely claiming Israel has no legitimate peace partner.

Kerry represents business as usual. Consistently on the wrong side of issues mattering most. Prioritizing what benefits Israel.

Harming Palestinians horrendously. With no prospect for change in sight. Claims otherwise ring hollow.

Netanyahu wants all valued Judea and Samaria land exclusively for Jews. De-Arabization is longstanding policy.

On Sunday, he overrode Livni's decision to cancel ministerial debate on declaring Israel a Jewish state. Saying cabinet deliberations will consider the issue. Adding:

"The State of Israel is the national homeland of the Jewish people. This is a matter of principle, and it is important for the future of the Jewish people in Israel.”

Science, Technology and Space Minister Yaakov urged halting debate. Because of volatile conditions. Saying:

"Discussing the law at this time is irresponsible and therefore I would like to postpone the hearing."

Netanyahu wants legislation included in Israel's Basic Laws. It's the only nation without fixed borders. Wanting them expanded. Including territory not its own. Stolen for Jewish exclusivity.

It has no constitution. Basic Laws substitute. Earlier, Netanyahu said:

"It is my intention to submit a Basic Law to the Knesset that would provide a constitutional anchor for Israel's status as the national state of the Jewish people."

He called doing so the most "basic ingredient in our national lives…"

Officially establishing it "will win legal status just as other central ingredients that constitute our fundamental core that have already been ruled into the Basic Law of Knesset," he said.

"Unfortunately, as we have seen recently, there are those who do not recognize this natural right and who seek to appeal the historical, legal and moral justification for the existence of the state of Israel as the nation-state of our people."

"I see it as one of my basic missions as prime minister to fortify the state of Israel as the nation-state of our people."

Another expression of Israel's dark side. Worse than ever under Netanyahu. Palestinians persecuted for not being Jews. Denied fundamental rights everyone deserves.

Increasingly isolated in cantonized communities. Homes bulldozed. Land stolen. Ethnically cleansed. Hugely repressed.

So-called Israeli democratic values are pure fantasy. Institutionalized racism is longstanding. So is brutalizing treatment.

Netanyahu turned truth on its head, saying earlier:

"It is hard for me to understand that among those calling on Israel to make concessions in Judea and Samaria due to their understandable desire to avoid a bi-national state are those who oppose defining Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people."

"It is impossible to speak out in favor of a Palestinian nation-state just to preserve the Jewish character of the State of Israel, and at the same time, to oppose recognizing that the State of Israel is the nation-state of Jewish people."

"Supporting the creation of a Palestinian nation-state and opposing the recognition of a Jewish nation-state undermines in the long run the principle of the State of Israel's right to exist."

Israel's "Declaration of Independence sets, as the cornerstone in the life of the state, the national Jewish identity of the State of Israel."

"To my great regret, as we have seen recently, there are those who do not recognize this natural right."

"They seek to undermine the historic, moral and legal justification for the existence of the State of Israel as the national state of our people."

"(T)he most basic component in our life as a nation will receive constitutional status similar to the other main components that are the foundation of our state, as determined in the basic laws."

At his weekly cabinet meeting, he ludicrously called Israel "a Jewish and democratic state."

"The balance between these two things is necessary, also to balance our justice system, which certainly recognizes the democratic side, and will now need to recognize that we are the national state of the Jewish people."

Coalition chairmah Likud MK Ze'ev Elkin originally introduced current legislation in 2011. Along with Kadima MK Avi Dicter.

Netanyahu proposed his own version in May. Sunday he said it "will undergo many changes and many discussions" before enactment.

Hadash party MK Dov Khenin called what's proposed a "provocative initiative." Aiming to "subjugate the state's democratic principles” to exclusively Jewish ones.

Meretz party leader Zahava Gal-On called MKs supporting the legislation "“accomplices in a crime against democracy. (T)ransform(ing) Israel's Arabs into second-class citizens."

Balad party issued a statement saying the bill "would pave the way for the enactment of racist and discriminatory laws against Arab citizens."

Hard-line Economy Minister Naftali Bennett urged swift enactment. "From our perspective, the law should have gone through today," he said.

Referencing continued East Jerusalem violence over repressive Israeli policies, he added:

"A government that does not know how to regain deterrence and sovereignty and provide security for its citizens in their capital does not have a right to exist."

He opposes Palestinian self-determination. Wants most West Bank land annexed. Made part of Israel.

Claims these and other extremist policies make peace more possible. He and likeminded lunatics make policy in Israel.

Longstanding state terror against defenseless Palestinians. On their own sink or swim.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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