East Jerusalem is not occupied territory. It belongs to Israel by historical right, by UN declaration, and by right of conquest (a right universally recognized for every country in the world except Israel). Obama has betrayed a U.S. ally, while showering billions upon a state whose government orders its people to chant “Death to America.”
“Israel to build thousands of new homes in East Jerusalem,” by Keith Koffler, Washington Examiner, December 27, 2016:
Israel will move ahead with plans to build thousands of new homes in East Jerusalem, refusing to back down after a United Nations vote last week declared such housing there and in the West Bank illegal under international law.
The vote succeeded after the United States, in a historic break with precedent, abstained.
According to the New York Times, the city will approve the construction of 600 new housing units Wednesday, a first step in what will ultimately amount to 5,600 new Jewish homes in the Arab section of the city.
“Israel is a country with national pride, and we do not turn the other cheek,” Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu said. “This is a responsible, measured and vigorous response, the natural response of a healthy people that is making it clear to the nations of the world that what was done at the U.N. is unacceptable to us.”
Netanyahu has reacted angrily to President Obama’s decision to abstain from the vote, as has President-elect Trump, who tweeted Monday that the United Nations had become a “club” where people “have a good time.”
Netanyahu also downgraded ties with countries that had voted for the resolution, including Britain, France, Russia, China, Japan, Ukraine and Egypt.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hopes the resolution will influence the upcoming Middle East conference in Paris to lay the groundwork to end Israel’s settlement construction
Abbas said early Tuesday that the resolution “proves that the world rejects the settlements, as they are illegal, in our occupied land including East Jerusalem.”…