Opinion
Oh no! They’re building in Jerusalem!
Hagai Segal
Published: 18.08.13, 20:02
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42 Talkbacks for this article
1. Convicted terror bomber Hagai Segal knows how to make peace
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN   (08.18.13)
2. It's the far-left not the left that is so obssesive
Sam ,   Canada   (08.18.13)
Building on the West Bank started with the left. The left is not so divided as the right in its will to make peace. It is more pragmatic about settlements. Hard to know with the right where it stands with peace so it tends to upset the West more than the right.
3. I wouldn't fancy living in an isolated settlement
Mark ,   London, UK   (08.18.13)
4. Imagine
BKRezky   (08.18.13)
..If Hitler told my grandparents who were in Sobibor that stopping the suffering of Jews and persecution in concentration camps does not serve the purpose of peace. I would be so enraged, enough to eat his heart out. I simply don't understand the mentality of Israeli "right". My parents left Israel in the early 80s before I was born and I am doing just fine in NYC. There are large Jewish communities where I live and feels just as much like Israel with exception of better future prospects. Israel is nice to visit I have cousins and extended family there but to me the constant negative climate is impeding the ability of success.
5. The Armegeddon will Threaten
Zechariah   (08.18.13)
Military Ballistic Missile Bases and Deep Underground shelters ought be built for Psychosuicide Murder Zombie sects will Arise to attack the Jews .The Jews must arm to the teeth a Massive Defensive and offensive Capacity.
6. It's the far-left not the left that is so obssesive
Sam ,   Canada   (08.18.13)
Building on the West Bank started with the left. The left is not so divided as the right in its will to make peace. It is more pragmatic about settlements. Hard to know with the right where it stands with peace so it tends to upset the West more than the right.
7. Hagai
David ,   On this planet   (08.18.13)
You put a smile on my face, despite what's happening around us. Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, gaza, let's not forget our dear friends Iran,our special guest the Palestinians and our home grown Arab brothers who loves us to death. keep up the good work we need some fun sometime
8. Thanks for explictly endorsing apartheid
Gerry ,   Los Angeles USA   (08.18.13)
That is all.
9. Jerusalem, Build, and Build More
Ross Gallen ,   Henderson, USA   (08.18.13)
This op. ed. piece is well spoken, reasoned and to the point.
10. Loving the Lefties since the '60's
ASTRONAUT ,   SC, USA   (08.18.13)
Lefties never left the 1960's and never will. Lefties spawned this generation of vegan-ite Jews who'd rather be cremated peacefully than stand strong like Maccabees. Lefties dig the graves of their fellow Jews.
11. Demand UNLIMITED Judea and Samaria building NOW!
Chaim ,   Israel   (08.19.13)
Recent polls show a large majority of Israelis oppose ceding our ancestral heartland of Judea and Samaria. Jews were living in Judea and Samaria thousands of years before Tel Aviv was even conceived. There is NO excuse for racist restrictions against Jews building in Judea and Samaria. Let every good Jew, Israeli patriot and friend of Israel demand UNLIMITED Judea and Samaria building. Israel must no longer be held hostage by a small number of self destructive leftists.
12. building freeze
jennifer ,   jerusalem, Israel   (08.19.13)
why don't the arabs have to freeze their building? I see them building rapidly in their communities! Why is the world silent!
13. Mark in Londonstsan, who is isolated??
Dr. Jack   (08.19.13)
Hey Mark, If I would be you I wouldn't complain about the settlements, only as far as a few miles from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Think Gibraltar or the Malvinas!! Are they near the Motherland?? And how far do you live from the large Pakistani, Nigerian or Arab enclaves in UK?? Can you safely travel there, and come back OK??
14. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (08.19.13)
It doesn't matter what other countries think. We do not presume to tell the Americans that Washington D.C. is not their capital. We do not presume to tell the French that Paris is not their capital. We do not presume to tell the Italians that Rome is not their capital. How DARE anyone tell us what our capital is, and whether or not we can build in our capital. Israel must build, and continue to build. No one -- NO ONE -- has the right to decide where Israel can or cannot build. Jerusalem has always been a Jewish city; it was always remain a Jewish city. If the Arabs do not like that, they are free to leave at any time. Jerusalem belongs to the Jews. Anyone who does not accept this is free to go f**k themselves.
15. and do not forget for one second
CJK   (08.19.13)
israel is sovereign and well armed. do not even think of trying to impose any fake settlement on israel. israel will determine her own eastern border. and forget the golan forever.
16. US, EU, stop meddling in Israel's affairs
CJK   (08.19.13)
jews will not lie down and roll over for your pleasure. jews will not commit collective suicide because you are such cowards and will not tell the muslims to go to h-ll. jews are entitled to their homeland and to their holy city jerusalem. you have kicked us around for over two thousand years and now we say enough is enough.
17. Great article! True true true
hipocrates ,   earth   (08.19.13)
18. #14 Jerusalem was not originally a Jewish city
max ,   indianapolis   (08.19.13)
and it hasn't always been
19. #1 - do some research
NiN ,   Israel   (08.19.13)
You are confusing two people with the same name... do some checking before spewing nonsense
20. Stop referring to it as East Jerusalem
Jacob E ,   Holon, Israel   (08.19.13)
Jerusalem is one city. So one of the biggest obstacles to this being realized by the world is the fact that no one refers to it as one city in the media. There is always Jerusalem, and East Jerusalem. If Israel wants to make it a united city, they can do that. The media publications in Israel need to start referring to East Jerusalem as just Jerusalem, no East. We don't call Western Jerusalem West Jerusalem We don't call Northern Jerusalem North Jerusalem We don't call Southern Jerusalem South Jerusalem So we shouldn't call Eastern Jerusalem East Jerusalem. It's all just Jerusalem.
21. nr 14.The US was not originaly yours either !.
Arn. ,   Sweden.   (08.19.13)
22. #8
Steve   (08.19.13)
And thank you for commenting on an issue which does not concern you in the least.
23. To No. 14 Sarah B
Bertram ,   London, UK   (08.19.13)
You are right. If the Arabs dispute the Jewish ownership of the entire city of Jerusalem, as you say, they are, in theory, free to leave. Or, indeed, free to resist, and to define the situation somewhat differently. Now, many people, including your good self, might not like this and put forward all kinds of quasi-historical, quasi-legalistic and moralistic arguments with regard to who 'owns' Jerusalem and the West Bank. However, these weak arguments are outweighed by your 'might is right' argument (e.g. Israel won 'Judea and Samaria' in a defensive war). This is much stronger. As you often appear to point out, there exists a state of war, and, as history shows, in a state of war everything is up for grabs.
24. END THE SURRENDER TALKS NOW !
Chris Rettenmoser ,   Bayerisch Gmain Germ   (08.19.13)
25. @4 I have concerns with Jews in Chul telling us what to do
Jrebecca ,   Modiin   (08.19.13)
Your parents on the other hand have LEFT Israel. They have given up their and your right to comment. If you want a say come home. If you prefer to live in NY, next to the UN, then that's what you should comment on. You have NO right to tell us what to do.
26. @18 INDIANapaolis says it all...
Jrebecca ,   Modiin   (08.19.13)
Since when was Jerusalem not Jewish? No seriously, the last time Jerusalem was not Jewish was when Jews were in Egypt. And there were no Muslims or Christians around.
27. Ban Ki Moon even exclaimed yesterday
ghostq   (08.19.13)
that the UN/USA r biast and use as an excuss the setelments therefor every peace agreement is doomed to fail. they have personal socialist agenda, since Israel abandon the socialist spirit in the mid 80's they try to correct Israel. the Amerikan won't like the idea that socialists like Biden redefine USA policy. the catastrophy is just around the corner.
28. #4. Just like France was great for Jews 20 years ago.
Chaim ,   Israel   (08.19.13)
#4. Twenty years ago, French Jewish leaders were convinced France was a great place for Jews to live and they would stay there forever. Just as you speak of America today. America is simply a few years behind France, but the exact same factors are at work.
29. #8 - your post only works if you change definition
William ,   Israel   (08.19.13)
But the real definition of Apartheid clearly doesn't work on this issue. You have to admit that it is not Apartheid to adhere to the agreements that the Pallys already made, and settlement building is not an act of Apartheid either. The division of Jerusalem is actually ILLEGAL under the current laws because it occurred through offensive war by Jordan and ethnically cleansed of its Jewish population. So - to re-cap, the author calls for the continued building in larger settlement blocs that the "Palestinians" already agreed to several times since Oslo, but by doing do is considered "Apartheid" by your group. Similarly, even though those of your ilk consider Eastern Jerusalem to be "Palestinian", you refuse to admit the Western side is Israeli, leading one to believe that the real racists committing Apartheid is...you.
30. #18 - actually, it was always Jewish
William ,   Israel   (08.19.13)
Originally, the area of Jerusalem had a tiny backwater village called Salem. It was nothing more than a blink of an eye if you drove through it. It was the Jews who turned it into a town of value and a center of their religion which no one can deny today. That occurred over 3000 years ago. The town has always had many Jewish residents in it despite being conquered and occupied by invaders, and the Jewish Temple continues to stand. In the 19th century, Jews were the majority population in the city while Arabs neglected it as a backwater village. Now, if you want to argue about the lack of Jewish right to Jerusalem because it was taken by invaders in the past, then you must also accept today's Jewish right to Jerusalem for the same reason - it being in our hands, finally, as was originally intended. And with it, freedom for all walks of life and worshippers.
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