The Palestinians are only hurting themselves. Like the construction freeze that has put thousands of Palestinians out of work, factories in Jewish settlements that hired Palestinian workers will either relocate or focus sales on Israeli customers. And those photo-op bonfires of "settlement products" lead by Fayyad just beggar their Arab neighbors who've paid good money for those goods. There are tens of millions of folks in the US who would love to buy Israeli products. Recent US polling shows some 65% supporting Israel, less than 20% supporting Palestinians.

why American taxpayers are supporting indirectly, through the tax-exempt contributions, a process that the government condemns. why the Americans' tax money is used to feed the settlers and shelter them.? Every dollar that goes to settlements makes Middle East peace that much harder to reach.

Factories will muve 5 min to the west. and hire only israelies

Read the story again -- Brita was buying products from an Israeli company and tried to get the court to rule that the goods do qualify for the exemption.

The Pals on the other hand have plenty of space - they dont need industries, just EU donations.

Moving 5 min West: Purchasing the land instead of stealing it; hiring Israelis that won't work for what the Palestinians get paid. In total, the product is less competitive and then it's 'no deal' instead of 'no big deal'.

I believe the point Ed`s trying to make is that muslim in Judea and Samaria can export without paying duties to the EU, while Jews cannot. That would be the same as Catholics being able to export from the Brazil to the EU without paying duties, but if a Jew in Brazil were to try to sell something to the EU he'd have to pay duties. That's discrimination. I'd like to point out that muslim companies in Tel Aviv, Jaffa and other cities inside "1967 Israel" probably can export without paying taxes to the EU.

the latest weeks shows that EU and else are tighting their stance on israel, which of course, is a government step. away from public opinion, israel should consider taking initiative that will ease the tension and normalise things,

The "Green Line" was not a border, but cease fire line. The Jordan river is the border with the Kingdom of Jordan. The EU should know it better. Gabe.

There is not even one country that recognizes the West Bank being part of Israel including many Israelis.

Ours borders are spelled out in Article 80 of the UN Charter. ALL land west of the Jordan River is ours period.

Decide which towns and cities of other nations aren't 'legitimate'? Manchester? Miami? South Carolina?

WELL HOW MUCH DOLLARS DO YOU WANT TO GIVE TO THE U.N. WHICH IS A VERY CORRUPT ORG. HOW MUCH DO THE ARAB PALS GET ? ......FROM THE U.N., THE E.U. AND THE U.S ........ BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DROPPED INTO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT OF ARAB DEFRAUDERS. THIS CHARITABLE AND FOOLISH INFUSION OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ARAB LEADERS WHO DEFRAUD THEIR OWN PEOPLE CONTRIBUTES TO THE MAKE THE REGION UNSTABLE. THE ARAB PAL LEADERS LINE THEIR POCKETS AND SPEAK VIOLENCE AND ARROGANCE. OBSERVER ........... PEOPLE LIKE YOU CRITICISE ISRAEL AND SUPPORT THESE ARABS WHICH TAKES THE RESPONSIBLITY AWAY FROM THE ARAB PAL LEADERS. THIS SERVES TO PERPETUATE THE ARAB CORRUPTION AND LAWLESSNESS AND INSTABILITY IN THE REGION. IT'S SURPRISING THAT A GUY LIKE YOU MISSED ALL THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

and that comes with millions of Pals. Ever wondered why Israel never did it?! ...one man, one vote. Besides, your interpretation of 80 isn't shared by any country throughout the entire world except for a minority of Jewish right wing extremists. Are you one?!

Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, former President of the International Court of Justice, determined that Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria was rooted in self-defense and therefore did not constitute "occupation." Eugene Rostow, former Dean of Yale Law School and former Undersecretary of State and co-author of UN Security Council Resolution 242, asserted that 242 entitled Jews to settle in Judea and Samaria. The Oslo Accord and its derivatives do not prohibit "settlements." Moreover, Israel has constrained construction to state-owned – and not private – land, avoiding expulsion of Arabs landowners. More at : http://xrl.us/bgfbay

Professor, Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, former President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague, explains: State [Israel] acting in lawful exercise of its right of self-defense may seize and occupy foreign territory as long as such seizure and occupation are necessary to its self-defense. ... Where the prior holder [Jordan] of territory had seized that territory unlawfully, the state which subsequently takes that territory in the lawful exercise of self-defense [Israel] has, against that prior holder, Better Title. As between Israel, acting defensively in 1948 and 1967, on the one hand, and her Arab neighbors, acting aggressively, in 1948 and 1967, on the other, Israel has the better title in the territory of what was Palestine, including the WHOLE OF JERUSALEM, than do Jordan and Egypt .More at : http://xrl.us/bggbus