No doubt, many if not most Israelis would agree with the above - and they do not need persuading that settlements are both a valid phenomenon and a valid response. The author (and the government) better do some persuading of Israel's allies, both in Europe and in USA, and especially of the public opinion in those countries. While Israel's independence is much more important than European and American sympathy, only few would deny that to some extent it hinges on continued American sympathy. If unconvinced Europeans and their governments permanently and fundamentally switch their sympathy away from Israel, that will not in any way contribute to Israel's long-terms security.

repeat what i said before: UN is stupid because she allows palestinians to keep using buildings freeze as preconditions when no party should ever be given preconditions. UN is lazy because she can't be bothered to pick up a map and see where actually are the buildings areas, even if she does not want to do what Israel suggest: that UN personnel be invited to take a walk at area E1 and other "disputed" areas as witnesses. finally why coward: because even if UN finally found out that E1 was part of Israel approved by Oslo even by Arafat, UN will be too coward to approve anything link to Jerusalem, she will not just reject E jerusalem buildings, but the rest of West, North, South Jerusalem. Jerusalem is hijacked as a whole, not just the East part. conclusion: UN is stupid, lazy, coward!' so, irrelevant !

Tells other countries where & where not to build their homes for people, weather it is allowed or not. No country, even the USA, has the right to tell Israel where & where not to build. Keep building, Israel, it is not only your right to build Jewish homes, you are obligated to do so for your growing population. Yehudah & Shomron is Isreal.

Netenyahu and Lieberman just tried to save face before election. After election he will give up new settlements issue. Personally I prefer Lieberman and Netenyahu stay! They are best for ending Israeli problem from Middleast No need for Iran as long as Lieberman is in government

is a 100% on the money. and it's all factual, and any person with brain can research it and find out for himself. it's there anyone willing to post that Israel has never offered up land for peace with the Palestinians? because it's a fact. just ask bill Clinton. or Condoleezza rice. and can someone explain to me why they were rejected when that's what the Palestinians are claiming they want, publicly of course. because you can youtube videos of the Palestinians pleaders saying that they won't stop till they get all of the land.

This is our land. We build wherever we please. Period.

I love this writer, he is in the same bubble as Bibi and his merry men. Hopefully the Israeli public can wake up before they hit the rocks.

is that Palestinians and especially the radical ones are living in a parallel universe. All the radical Islamists are saying, that they were Muslims. If they would be Muslims, they had to believe in Jesaja, a Prophet mentioned in the Koran. And they had to believe in all other Prophets and all of them are predicting that Jews return to their homeland. Even in the Koran (Sure 17, Verse 105) this homecoming is mentioned. So their position in the conflict is based on sand and they are contradicting themselves. They will realize that soon and this will calm down all tensions.

The " world " couldn't care less about the rights of Jews. How much proof do we need? Stop talking, start building and lets keep our powder dry.

The map that counts is the one that the San Remo Treaty ordered. That is international law. The Franco-British Boundary Commission mapped our lands and then the British stolen 77.5% of it and gave it to Saudi thieves.

It amazes me the way Israel worries about Europe's opinion. Europe will condemn Israel no matter what, because Europeons deep down are anti-semites. However, they wont do anything that will act against their self interest, so as long as Israel produces and designs the high tech components they need, the hypocrites will tsk tsk and nothing more.

Daum :How arrogant

Sometime , intelligence and wisdom is more than our legitimate rights. The world is not governed but what is right or wrong. The world is governed by PR- media- social agenda, etc. If UK and France have a large Muslim population - you can 200% right , it will not help. Anouncements of building beyond the green line is antagonitic and provoking. At the end Bibi will bucckle and do nothing anyhow, as history can tell us. Israel should initiate mass building in all territories withjout any anouncements or fan fare. The world will wake up in 2013 with another 250,000 inhabited houses. Fait Accompli. Israel should prepare the check for the PA, however hand it over to IEC since they owe this. Anyone would do the same.

Who is Olmert anyway?

There are more than 500 million Pentecostal Christians all over the World that love Israel. So Israel will never be left alone, God has His secret people!

There are thousands of Israelis desperately waiting for inexpensive housing solutions in the center of the country while the current government denies their "right' in favor of 'punishing' the Palestinians by building another neighborhood far from the areas in real need..

When are people going to finally realise that it's not about who's right and who's wrong in this conflict but about what actions will contribute to finding a just and peaceful resolution. Articles like this represent everything that is currently wrong with our country and the way it is being governed.

Ehud Olmert is an Israeli leftist, he is corrupt, his place should have beeb in jail and friend of your PM ABB ASS. Olmert the one who wanted to sell Jerusalem to Saudi or to Eu

If you don't know who is Olmert, then you are thick as sausage

Who is Abbas, anyway? Oh, that's right! He's a piece of terrorist scum. He's lucky not to be dangling from an Israeli rope. That's exactly where he belongs.

Olmert is a discredited Israeli politician. Abbas, on the other hand, is a terrorist. So who cares what may or may not be on Abbas' map -- he belongs at the end of a rope, which would be precisely his fate in any country that has the death penalty for terrorism. It is my fervent prayer that Israel enact legislation making Arab terrorism a capital crime. The hangman will be the busiest man in all of Israel! Who needs terrorist Arab scum, anyway? Why should they get "three hots and a cot" at the taxpayer expense?

OUR ENEMIES WANT JIHAD AND WE DISCUSS HOW TO LIVE . GOD GAVE US THE LAND . WE BUILD

wont accept peace offers because they are not interested in living side by side with Israel. They want it all !

of Israel will populate Israel from Sinai 2 Euphrates. Baruch Hashem

.... maybe this is why Pallys rejected it. Is it true that it would have split WB in two, plus a third part in Gaza. Island states can survive, but pockets on the mainland tend to become failed states.

Who would post such trash... We need a way forward and I havent heard it here yet.