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December 19, 2012

U.S. "Deeply Disappointed" in Israeli Settlement Expansion, Yet Won't Take Action 
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The Israeli government has announced yet another new round of settlement
expansion in the occupied West Bank — 1,500 new settler homes in
East Jerusalem's Ramat Shlomo. It is the latest in a series of Israeli
settlement expansions following last month's historic recognition of
Palestine as a non-member observer state by the United Nations. The
Obama administration, meanwhile, has issued some of its most forceful
public criticism of Israeli settlement expansion to date, yet has
acknowledged it will not take any practical steps to respond on the
ground. After weeks of international calls for a U.S. response to
Israeli settlement growth, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland
criticized Israel on Tuesday.

Victoria Nuland: "We are deeply disappointed that Israel insists on
continuing this pattern of provocative action. These repeated
announcements and plans of new construction run counter to the cause of
peace. Israel's leaders continually say that they support a path towards
a two-state solution, yet these actions only put that goal further at
risk."

Despite the criticism, Nuland went on to acknowledge the Obama
administration will leverage none of its political and diplomat clout
with Israel — including billions in annual U.S. aid and veto power
at the U.N. Security Council — to stop the settlements.

Reporter 1: "You know, you are 'deeply disappointed.' I mean, next week
you can be 'exceedingly deeply disappointed' but the Israelis will
continue to build. What leverage you can actually exercise?"

Victoria Nuland: "I just answered that question."

Reporter 1: "I want to ask this, because we keep having — we keep
going around this thing."

Reporter 2: "Would the United — the administration be willing to
put this strong language in a Security Council resolution, even though
it wouldn't change the situation on the ground?"

Victoria Nuland: "I don't think we think that's a helpful step at this
point."

 

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