The settlement blocs mainly just surround Jerusalem. We should be building in settlements outside the blocs not only because they are vital for Israel's security, but because this is Jewish land where we have the right to live. This includes places like Hebron & Kiryat Arba where the Jewish nation began.

Because this is OUR land.

By releasing terrorists in order to continue settlement building, Israel shows where its priorities are.

He's sooooo right. Every nation builds for her people, for her future and for her growth. Tying the release of terrorists to building as a consideration is madness, it negates the law, it makes a mockery of the Jewish dead and rewards pal terrorism. JUST BUILD BALLS TO THE WALL. IT'S YOUR LAND, NO NEGOTIATIONS. NO SURRENDER.

Best way to win a final victory over the pals is to build them out of Israel. Then, we can tell our children and their children,"How we won the war without firing a shot." Usual Jewish brilliance, a Yiddisha cup. BUILD LIKE YOU MEAN IT BABY !!!!!

I must respectfully disagree with one point Mr. Hendel makes in this piece. Barack Obama wanted (he still wants) a general, indiscriminate freeze on Jewish building in Jerusalem and other parts of Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu was not forced to accept the Jewish building freeze against his will. Neither is he forced to accept the prisoner release against his will. Obama cannot force this prime minister to do anything against his will.

I'll give Yoav Hendel the benefit of the doubt and assume that this reads better in Hebrew - but wow, what a terribly written and pointless article.

You are thieves and thievery is your policy. Actually, isn't such thievery described in talmud?

and is in your present when you need them. I pray that my country remains a True Friend, Past and Present, of Eretz Yisrael. Am Yisrael Chai.

I think a little modern history of your country is in order. Please bear with me. Excerpts: "In 1918, during the collapse of the Habsburg Empire at the end of World War I, the independent republic of Czechoslovakia, which joined the winning Allied powers, was created. This new country incorporated the Bohemian Crown (Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia) and parts of the Kingdom of Hungary (Slovakia and the Carpathian Ruthenia) with significant German, Hungarian, Polish and Ruthenian speaking minorities..... Although Czechoslovakia was a unitary state, it provided what were at the time rather extensive rights to its minorities...the effects of the Great Depression including high unemployment and massive propaganda from Nazi Germany resulted in discontent and strong support among ethnic Germans for a break from Czechoslovakia. (Sound familiar Jarda?) Adolf Hitler took advantage of this opportunity and, using Konrad Henlein's separatist Sudeten German Party, gained the largely German speaking Sudetenland (and its substantial Maginot Line-like border fortifications) through the 1938 Munich Agreement..." Were you the "good thieves" because you were on the winning side in the first world war? You think the Jews are thieves because many of us returned to our historic homeland. Largely white European colonialists and settlers conquered, forcibly removed and expropriated American Indian and Mexican lands to which they had no historic connection. Were the Americans "good thieves" or bad thieves in your opinion?

until we reach the climax because we are the gods and Sarah Palin is our goddess.

States are not humans. We die, states endure. For every injury Obama inflicts upon Israel, there will come greater Israel. The trouble with drivel like this is it begets anymosity amongst people of US and Israel. A very unwise thing to do in responce to savagery and hate.

So you agree you are thieves, but you insist you are not the only one. You are right but it's not any reason Israel shall not be destroyed. Anyway, I agree with your view of Czechoslovakia. German right of self determination was not respected. And without Hitler, they would reach their right back.

One mistake after another, has done diddlypiss for Israel.

Come on,he is a good boy-doing what he is told.

Sadly, this article hits the nail on the head. Bibi Netanyahu is not building, he is creating make-believe sand castles in the air. In return for releasing murderers, Netanyahu releases nothing other than bombastic words that produce international criticism of Israel, but achieve nothing on the ground. Dangerous times for Israel when their leaders are weak. Bibi failed the test of at least getting Pollard released. Egypt, Syria, and many others treat Obama/Kerry with contempt. Why is Bibi so weak?

what are you doing to influence the government of the USA ? Also, why is there so little allyah from the USA ? Why do so many young Jews in the USA assimilate rather to come to Israel? If it were so , Israel would be able to build...

The reason is that in America the vast majority of Jews are liberals. It is hard for liberals and kids who believe in social justice to want to ally themselves with the complete opposite. Once you lose America you lose your dreams of kicking out the palestinians.

1) In Israel you have universal medical security paid by the state with no distiction of religion , race or means. In the USA there is no universal medical coverage, only those who can pay, 2) Israel protects its poor, the USA protects the rich first. The list is much longer. The reason why liberal Jews stay in the USA is because it is easy for the well off and inertia or assimilation for the others

The gap between the few rich and many poor in Israel is one of the largest in the world and growing. Crony capitalism, nepotism and corruption dominate the economy. It is the "Start Up and then get the hell out of here before someone steals it all" capital of the world. Meanwhile, poverty grows. Read the government's own statistics. Unlike forty years ago, today I would much rather be poor and living in the U.S. than be poor and living in Israel. Sorry. That's the way it is.