Sometimes a true friend needs to apply tough love

Submitted by Ben Clarke (Australia), Mar 11, 2010 at 05:00

Israel is full of intelligent people who are highly critical of continuing settlement construction in East Jerusalem. Just because the government of Israel doesn't like being told by the US that continued construction is damaging prospects for peace doesn't mean the US criticism is wrong. In fact the US message reflects international law. In the UN era, acquisition of territory (in this case East Jerusalem ) by force isn't a valid mode of acquiring title. Conquest is not a lawful method of expanding sovereign territory. Nor do biblical claims to territory deliver title. If Israel is in collective denial on these points a good friend should be pointing out the realities of the situation. Would Israel accept the situation if the shoe was on the other foot? Perhaps the real problem is democracy: do most Israelis (ie voters) support continued settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank? If so heaven help the people of Israel and the Palestinian territories.

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