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Jerusalem, the Occupation and the so-called "peace process"

That the "peace process" between the Palestinians and Israelis is nothing of the sort is beyond question.    There are those who still believe a peaceful solution to the intractable issue is possible - but they must be living under a bushel!    And as for a two-State solution? - that is now virtually impossible.

 There can be no doubting that the appalling attack, and barbaric slaying, of worshipers in a synagogue in Jerusalem, yesterday, needs to be condemned without equivocation.    Without in any way condoning yesterday's killings, any observer of what has been happening as part of the Occupation by the Israelis will not be surprised that "something" was "going to give" sooner or later - and will continue to do so.  

Consider the position of the Palestinians, as detailed in this piece "John Kerry conducted a theatre of the absurd in Amman" on Middle East Eye....

"US Secretary John Kerry met in Amman with King Abdullah, PM Netanyahu, and PA leader Mahmoud Abbas for the umpteenth episode of the ongoing theatre saga dubbed the "peace process."

Just across the river in occupied Palestine, a sadly familiar scene continues to unfold: increased colonial activities; attempts to drive Jerusalemites out of the occupied city and make it into a Jewish on; restrictions on millions of Muslims and Christians from reaching their Holy sites; home demolitions; random and bizarre acts of violence; and 6,000 political prisoners languishing in Israeli gulags/prisons.

Seven million of us Palestinian are refugees or displaced people (out of a population of 12 million). Land left for us to live on in historic Palestine is now a mere 8 percent of our historic land (that includes the cantons left for us in the Galilee, Naqab, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank).

Millions of Jewish settlers from Europe and other parts of the world now control 92 percent of the land, more than 90 percent of the water, all border crossings, and all other natural resources in the country. Israel's latest assault on the besieged people of Gaza this year killed 2,170 and injured 10,900 human beings. About 80 percent of these casualties were civilians, including 519 children who were killed and 2,114 children who were injured."

 

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